March 13, 2026

Classic vs New: How to Choose the Right Konnect eMail Product for Your Outlook / Microsoft 365 Environment

Konnect eMail Central is available in two versions: Classic and New. Both are designed to move emails and attachments from Outlook into SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive in a structured, compliant way, but they do it slightly differently.

This article explains what each version does, how they differ in terms of platform support and user experience, and how to decide which Konnect eMail product is the best fit for your Outlook / Microsoft 365 environment.

Meet the Two Konnect eMail Central Products

Konnect eMail Central Classic – at a glance

Konnect eMail Central (Classic) is the original Outlook add-in that:

Integrates Outlook on Windows with SharePoint, Microsoft Teams and OneDrive
Lets users save emails and attachments into SharePoint libraries with metadata
Brings SharePoint document management features (check-in/check-out, version history, rename/delete, edit properties) directly into Outlook
Surfaces custom SharePoint metadata fields so users can fill or update them at save time and later
Provides a native Outlook ribbon tab and side panel that feels familiar to long-time Outlook users

It’s a strong fit in environments that are primarily Windows desktop–based, where users live in Outlook all day and want deep SharePoint control from inside the mail client.

Konnect eMail Central (New) – at a glance

Konnect eMail Central (New) is the next-generation, web-based Outlook add-in that:

Lets users save emails and attachments to SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive in one click
Automatically adds email properties as SharePoint metadata for search, classification and compliance
Works across new and classic Outlook on Windows, Outlook for Mac, Outlook on the web, and (where supported) mobile
Combines manual filing with advanced features such as save suggestions, conversation tracking and save on send.
Uses a modern, intuitive web-based sidebar that looks and behaves consistently across devices

You can think of Central (New) as the version designed from day one for cloud-first Microsoft 365 tenants and more structured email governance.

Key Difference #1 – Platform & Deployment

This is usually the first filter when choosing between Classic and New.

Where Konnect eMail Central Classic fits technically

Central Classic:

Is installed as a traditional Outlook add-in via an MSI on Windows desktops
Requires you to match the x86 / x64 installer to your Outlook bit version
Integrates with SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive in Microsoft 365, and is comfortable in environments that still rely heavily on full desktop Outlook

It’s ideal when:

Most of your workforce is on Windows desktop Outlook, and
You’re comfortable deploying and updating locally installed add-ins (or you already have a process for it)

Where Konnect eMail Central (New) fits technically

Central (New):

Is built as a modern Office / Outlook web add-in
Works across:
- Outlook on Windows (new and classic)
- Outlook for Mac
- Outlook on the web
- Outlook mobile, where Microsoft 365 add-ins are supported
Gives users the same sidebar experience regardless of device

This makes Central (New) a strong fit if:

You have a mixed device estate (Windows, Mac, web, mobile)
You’re rolling out or standardising on New Outlook
You prefer central deployment via Microsoft 365 / Exchange admin, rather than local MSI installs

For many cloud-first organisations, Central (New) is the more future-proof choice purely from a platform perspective.

Key Difference #2 – User Experience & Daily Workflows

Both products aim to keep users inside Outlook while they work with SharePoint content. The emphasis in daily workflows is slightly different.

When Central Classic shines

Central Classic is closer to full document lifecycle management in your inbox:

Users can drag and drop emails and attachments into SharePoint and Teams
They can check files in and out, view and manage version history, delete or rename documents, and edit properties from Outlook
They can see and fill in custom metadata fields configured on the SharePoint library
The interface feels like a natural extension of traditional desktop Outlook

This makes Central Classic a good fit when:

You have records or document control teams who spend their day in Outlook and need rich document management tools there
Your users are heavily invested in desktop Outlook workflows
You want to expose as much of SharePoint’s document management capabilities as possible in the mail client

When Central (New) shines

Central (New) is designed as a clean, cross-platform capture and tagging experience:

Save emails to SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive in one click, with metadata captured automatically
Use a web-based sidebar that feels the same on Windows, Mac and web
Quickly search and filter for documents, lists and saved email records without leaving Outlook
Combines manual filing with advanced features such as save suggestions, conversation tracking and save on send.

This makes Central (New) a strong choice when:

Your goal is to standardise email capture across many devices and locations
You want to reduce friction for users and keep the save/classify step as light as possible
You care about metadata quality and retention alignment, but don’t want to overwhelm everyday users with complexity

Governance & Compliance Considerations

From a governance standpoint, both versions exist to close the gap between Outlook and SharePoint by getting more email into structured, governable locations.

What both Classic and New help you do

With either product, you can:

Save emails and attachments into SharePoint libraries, Teams channels and OneDrive folders
Capture key email metadata (From, To, Subject, Sent Date, etc.) to support search and classification
Ensure saved emails inherit SharePoint permissions, retention labels and audit capabilities once they’re stored in the right library

That’s the foundation of any Outlook → SharePoint email records strategy.

Where Central (New) may give you more governance leverage

Because Central (New):

Offers advanced features such as “save suggestions”, “conversation tracking” and “save on send”.
Is already positioned as the next-generation add-in for structured, compliant capture across devices

It naturally fits organisations that are building a more formal email governance and retention model in Microsoft 365.

A Simple Decision Guide: Classic vs New

You can frame the decision with three practical questions.

Question 1 – What does your Outlook landscape look like?

Mostly Windows desktop Outlook, with no real need for Mac/web parity
- Central Classic remains a strong option.
Mixed estate (Windows, Mac, web, mobile), or moving to New Outlook
- Central (New) is the natural fit.

Question 2 – What do your users need most inside Outlook?

Choose Central Classic if:

You have document managers / records officers who:
- Regularly use check-in/check-out, version history and property edits
- Want deep SharePoint document controls surfaced in Outlook
Your users are comfortable with native desktop add-ins and ribbon-style interfaces

Choose Central (New) if:

Most users simply need to:
- Save emails quickly to the right place with the right metadata
- Find and attach the correct document or email record without hunting
You value consistency across devices and want the same experience on Windows, Mac and web

Question 3 – What’s your governance roadmap?

If you’re mainly trying to replace network drives and random mailbox filing with a central SharePoint-based email library, both products can help.
If you are moving towards:
- Formal retention labels and policies for email in SharePoint
- More automation in capture and filing
- A strong focus on cross-platform access and long-term support

…then Central (New) is usually the better strategic anchor.

Can you run both?

Some organisations adopt a hybrid approach, for example:

Central Classic for records and document control teams on managed Windows desktops
Central (New) for broader staff across Windows, Mac, web and mobile

Next Steps – Try the Right Fit in Your Tenant

Both Konnect eMail Central products are solving the same core problem:

Get important emails out of personal mailboxes and into structured, searchable, governable locations in SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive.

The right choice depends on your Outlook footprint, user workflows and governance ambitions:

Choose Classic if you’re heavily invested in Windows desktop Outlook and want rich SharePoint document management in the mail client.
Choose New if you need a cross-platform, metadata-first, automation-ready add-in that fits a modern Microsoft 365 environment.

You can start the process directly from konnectemail.com, request a trial or book a demo, and have the team walk you through how Classic and New would look in your specific tenant and roadmap.