Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Problems with Outlook Contacts

May 12, 2005 8:22PM PDT

I have a problem with my contacts in Outlook.

I have the global address book, which is the company default, a folder called contacts, which is empty, and a folder called contacts1, where all my personal email adress's are saved.

When you search for an email address, the program does not appear able to see the folder contacts1.

It does not appear when you try to add a folder to the list of folders searched for email address's

You can't delete or rename 'contacts', I suspect it is a system folder.

I also can not find a way to move all the email address's from folder contacts1 to contacts, you just end up with either a subfolder of contacts, or a folder called contacts11, neither of which get me any further forward.

Can anyone offer me any clues here?

Robert

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
A few things.
May 12, 2005 9:36PM PDT

1. What version outlook?

2. Is it all patched up?

3. Is it standalone (Internet Mode) or connected to some Exchange Server?

- Collapse -
Re: A few things
May 12, 2005 10:01PM PDT

Oops, Should have mentioned these points.

1) Microsoft Outlook 2002 (10.2627.2625)

2) Yes

3) Microsoft Exchange Server

- Collapse -
That's the nugget. (Exchange Server)
May 13, 2005 12:05AM PDT

That's where the difference from standalone OL2003 to your setup...

Have you turned on automatic name checking?
It's only buried 6 levels deep. Tools > Options > Preferences > Email options...> Advanced Email options... > Automatic Name checking.

Read the section labeled "Address Books" at http://socsci2.ucsd.edu/sscf/Tutorials/OutlookMigration/OL2003.doc to see how to use the various address books.

Bob

- Collapse -
re: That's the nugget
May 15, 2005 6:46PM PDT

I had a look at the link, and the section on contacts.

The problem is, all my personal contacts have some how ended up in two other folders, called contacts1 and Personal Contacts.

I can't make the system search these folders automatically, and I can't find any way to move all the contacts to the folder called "contacts", which is the only address book other than the global address book that appears in any menus you can access.

Do you have any other ideas here?

Robert

- Collapse -
(NT) (NT) Move contacts into the folders it does search.
May 15, 2005 9:06PM PDT
- Collapse -
re: Move contacts into the folders it does search
May 16, 2005 12:17AM PDT

Thats exactly what I want to do, and exactly what I can't find out how to!!!!

Robert

- Collapse -
Two possible solutions for you
May 25, 2005 1:57AM PDT

First of all, you can move definitely copy and paste addresses from a personal contacts folder or accessory contacts folder to the default Contacts folder. The easiest way to do this is by changing your view on the accessory contacts folder (View - Arrange by - Current View) to "Phone List." Then block all of the entries in the normal way (using shift-arrow or ctrl-arrow). Right click in the block, choose "Move to Folder" and move the entries into the default Contacts folder. You could also copy them (versus moving them), by using Ctrl+C and then paste them into Contacts on the folder list.

But the real issue here is that, at least in Outlook 2003 (you didn't specify what you have), you need to "add" any accessory folders (Contact1 or Personal or whatever) as an Address Book to be recognized as one. In Outlook 2003 this is a two-step process: First, you have to click on the Start button, right click on Email-Microsoft Outlook in the left side list. This brings you to the "Outlook setup" menu (If you don't find it above your Start button, you'll have to research where it is on your PC - right clicking on the program icon will NOT work for this purpose). Once you are at the Outlook setup menu, click on Email Accounts, then click Add a New Directory or Address Book. At next screen choose Additional Address Books. At next screen choose Outlook Address Book for your Contacts1 (or you would choose personal address book if it is something laying on your C: drive outside of Outlook, for instance). Then Step 2: Open Outlook program. On your left sided folder list, right click on the folder you want recognized ("Contacts1," for instance). Click on Properties, then select the tab "Outlook Address book." Then check off the box that says "Show this folder as an email address book."

Once that is done, when you search for addresses, it will indeed search your accessory address book as well as the default Contacts folder.

So there are two solutions. Good luck!