How do you change the default phone number format in OL contacts?

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RedneckCPA - 27 Jul 2006 18:10 GMT

I just changed to a new computer at work. Now, every time I enter a phone
number into the contacts, it changes the format to (xxx) xxx-xxxx. This is
not how I normally store my phone numbers. Nerd that I am, I am curious as
to why, regardless of how I enter the phone number, it changes the format to
the above. Any ideas?

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Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 27 Jul 2006 21:27 GMT

Masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject to user
configuration. You may not ask "why" questions about Outlook. The answer
will always be the same: "because that's the way it was designed."

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Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

>I just changed to a new computer at work. Now, every time I enter a phone
> number into the contacts, it changes the format to (xxx) xxx-xxxx. This
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> to
> the above. Any ideas?

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RedneckCPA - 27 Jul 2006 21:39 GMT

That's interesting. If I understand your response, you are saying that the
format shown is the only one available. I have a 500 other contacts that are
not done that way. I am still using the save version of OL 2003 that I had
before my computer swap - which led me to believe it must be some preference.

> Masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject to user
> configuration. You may not ask "why" questions about Outlook. The answer
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> > to
> > the above. Any ideas?

Reply to this Message

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 27 Jul 2006 22:37 GMT

There is no such preference setting.

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> That's interesting. If I understand your response, you are saying that
> the
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>> > to
>> > the above. Any ideas?

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Brian Tillman - 28 Jul 2006 00:14 GMT

> That's interesting. If I understand your response, you are saying
> that the format shown is the only one available. I have a 500 other
> contacts that are not done that way. I am still using the save
> version of OL 2003 that I had before my computer swap - which led me
> to believe it must be some preference.

The difference you see is perhaps because on the old PC you did not have
your modem dialing properties set in Control Panel but on your current
machine you do. Contacts you added on the old machine aren't masked while
new contacts are. If you were to change one of the old contacts, I suspect
the phone number will be remasked. It happened to me.

All that said, the masking is cosmetic. Why do you care?

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Brian Tillman

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