Sent folders on the IMAP server

From A2Wiki

This is a known issue if you are using Microsoft Outlook Express or OS X Mail.

OS X Mail

The IMAP folder's root path should be set to INBOX. This can be found under the Mail menu -> Preferences -> Accounts -> Click on the Advanced tab -> type INBOX (in all caps) in the "IMAP Prefix Path" then close the Preferences window.

Outlook Express

The IMAP folder's root path is not set to Inbox/. Without this path, the outlook express client can't locate the directory into which to place the sent mail. The outlook express auto config system built into cPanel needs to be updated to include this path.

You can use Rules to copy the sent message to the IMAP Sent folder, but you'll still have a copy of the item in the local folder. You can turn off the option to "Save copies of messages in Sent Items folder", but if Outlook is unable to connect to the IMAP server for whatever reason, a copy is not saved.

To set up the rule, go to Tools->Rules and Alerts (or Rules Wizard). Create a new blank rule, and then select Check messages after sending. Select a condition if you want to copy certain items to the IMAP folder, or leave it blank to copy every item you send. Now click Next.

Choose "Move a copy to the selected folder" as the action and select the Sent folder on your IMAP server, then click Next. Set up any exceptions you want and click Finish. Now all messages you send, or those meeting the conditions you selected, are copied to the IMAP server. If you have two or more email accounts and disable saving sent items, you'll need to create rules for the other accounts if you want to save the sent messages.

If you don't want a second copy locally, open Tools->Options->Preferences->Email Options and remove the check from "Save copies of messages in Sent Items folder". If you have more than one account, you should create a rule for each account, otherwise all sent items are moved to the IMAP server's Sent folder.

You can have the Sent Items stored on your local drive instead of on the server or switch to a different email client such as Thunderbird.