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MS Office Forum / Outlook / Contacts / January 2006

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Import Contact Data for certain fields only - update not replace entire contact

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Pennycook - 18 Jan 2006 06:22 GMT
I have contact data to import back into Outlook.  These are contacts that
already exist in this Outlook Contacts folders with good e-mail address but
no mailing address.  But I only want to import and update the address, city,
state, zip, and I want the e-mail that's in there to stay there.  The only
choices I get for when Outlook finds duplicate on import is:  replace the
contact with the new data (that doesn't help me because it clears out the e-
mail), or create a duplicate, or don't import dupes.

The problem is that when the contacts got exported in order to be cleaned up
and have addresses added, I didn't export ALL the data including those e-
mails & Categories.  We have 2,000 contacts now with good addresses to go
back in.  I want my data to "merge" with the data already in Outlook, and
overwrite any fields where I bring in new data.  Like the same way Outlook
functions if you are adding a single client, and it thinks it's a duplicate -
you can choose to update old contact with new data.

Thank you!
Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook] - 18 Jan 2006 16:31 GMT
What you might need to do is import the data, creating duplicate items, then use a free duplicate merge tool to combine that information with the existing items. See http://www.slipstick.com/addins/contacts.htm for such tools

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Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
  Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
    http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
  and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
    Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
    http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

>I have contact data to import back into Outlook.  These are contacts that
> already exist in this Outlook Contacts folders with good e-mail address but
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> Thank you!
Jessie - 19 Jan 2006 06:05 GMT
Sue - thank you - great idea - I saw this site once but somehow I thought I
had to buy the dupe merge tool.  Yes, I don't mind bringing in dupes if there
is an easy way to merge all.  I will check it out.  I also found another
possible solution - that is - remove all the map fields on the right hand
side of the field map.  It could be their very existance is bringing in empty
data to those e-mail fields.   Also - good timing on a dupe merge tool - the
person I am doing this for - her last PDA Sync created 1600 duplicates in her
Outlook Contacts!  Different problem - but maybe this will help both issues.
Thanks!

>What you might need to do is import the data, creating duplicate items, then use a free duplicate merge tool to combine that information with the existing items. See http://www.slipstick.com/addins/contacts.htm for such tools
>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>>
>> Thank you!
Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 18 Jan 2006 21:51 GMT
Next time I wouldn't use export to the PST format to "clean up Contacts"
since you have no control over the fields you want to alter. Most users who
do this export to a format such as Excel to manipulate their data, then
import back so they can retain full control over field mapping.
There's almost never a good reason to export to Outlook's native format. Too
many surprises if you do.
Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

>I have contact data to import back into Outlook.  These are contacts that
> already exist in this Outlook Contacts folders with good e-mail address
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Thank you!
Jessie - 19 Jan 2006 06:06 GMT
Russ  thanks for message.  I am working in Excel for the cleanup.  Maybe my
posting wasn't clear.  I exported all the fields except e-mail & categories
(that was my first mistake) - then we had someone enter in all the missing
addresses and that's what I want to import back into Outlook contacts.

>Next time I wouldn't use export to the PST format to "clean up Contacts"
>since you have no control over the fields you want to alter. Most users who
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>>
>> Thank you!
 
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