|
|
|
|
The Microsoft Outlook E-Mail and Fax Guide
Last Updated 7/27/2009 2:10:28 PM
Chapter 16: Importing and Exporting Data in Outlook
This chapter explores the various ways you can work with Outlook to import or export data.
One of the first things you may want to do with Outlook is import your contacts and information from other sources, including an Exchange Personal Address Book, Microsoft Schedule+, databases, or personal information managers.
If you want to do this right away, you can click “Import Information from Schedule+ and Other Applications” when you see the Welcome to Microsoft Outlook dialog box or the greeting from the Office Assistant. You can also import at any other time by choosing File, Import and Export. Table 16.1 lists the different import sources that Microsoft has made available for use with Outlook and tells you where to get the conversion components. Many are either installed automatically with Outlook or can be added during setup. Others are in a separate Valupack folder on the Office or Outlook CD.
|
TABLE 16.1: OUTLOOK IMPORT SOURCES AND CONVERTERS |
| Import source |
Required converter
|
| Personal Folders file (.pst) |
Included with Outlook
|
| Personal Address Book (.pab) |
Included with Outlook
|
| Microsoft Mail file (.mmf) |
Included with Outlook
|
| Comma- or tab-separated values file |
Included with Outlook
|
| Lotus Organizer 1.0, 1.1, or 2.1 |
Install the Lotus Organizer files during Outlook setup
|
| Microsoft Schedule+ 1.0 or 7.0 |
Install the Schedule+ support files during Outlook setup
|
| Microsoft Access |
Install the database driver during Outlook setup
|
| Microsoft Excel |
Install the database driver during Outlook setup
|
| Microsoft FoxPro |
Install the database driver during Outlook setup
|
| dBase |
Install the database driver during Outlook setup
|
| Symantec ACT! 2.0
| Install the Outlook converter from the Valupack
|
| NetManage ECOO Pro 3.0, 3.01, or 3.02 |
Install the Outlook converter from the Valupack
|
| Starfish SideKick 1.0/95 |
Install the Outlook converter from the Valupack
|
| Lotus cc:Mail |
Install cc:Mail support from the Valupack\Ccmail folder |
IMPORTING FROM APPLICATIONS
To install the additional Outlook converters from the Valupack, look in the Valupack\Convert\Outlook folder on the Office 97 CD, and run the Outcvt.exe file. (Windows NT 3.51 users should run Outcvtnt.exe.) You can also download these converters (and any new ones that may have been added) from Microsoft. On the Outlook menu, choose Help, Microsoft on the Web, Free Stuff.
Notice that some rather well known mail programs, such as Netscape and Eudora, do not have Outlook converters from Microsoft. We look at some strategies for importing those applications under “Importing from Other Sources” later in this chapter.
First, let’s cover the specifics of importing from the PAB, Schedule+, and Microsoft Mail. Then, we spend a little time with more general import techniques and offer suggestions about how to prepare your data sources for best results.
IMPORTING A PERSONAL ADDRESS BOOK
As discussed in the previous chapter, a good long-term strategy is to import addresses from your Exchange or Windows Messaging Personal Address Book into the Contacts folder. A little preparation makes the import process cleaner.
Preparing the PAB
If you do nothing else to prepare the PAB, at least remove any distribution lists from it. Otherwise, you will get duplicate entries in Contacts for any recipient that is both on a distribution list and in a separate entry in a PAB. Also, you may want to delete any old entries, so they don’t clutter up Contacts, and clean up recipients who have both e-mail addresses and fax numbers.
To prepare the PAB, follow these steps:
- Choose Tools, Services, bring up the properties for the Personal Address Book service, and make a note of the location and file name.
- Close the Services dialog box, then choose File, Exit and Log Off to completely quit Outlook.
- In Windows Explorer, make a copy of the PAB file whose location you noted in step 1. The copy might be named “Copy of Mailbox.pab.”
- Start Outlook again.
- Choose Tools, Address Book, and switch to the Personal Address Book.
- Delete any distribution lists.
- If some recipients are listed twice — once for their e-mail address and a second time with a fax address — copy the fax number into the Fax field on the Phone Numbers tab of the entry for the e-mail address. You can then delete the entry with the fax address.
- Delete any outdated recipients that you don’t want to import into Contacts.
Your PAB file is now ready to import. You also have the copy of the PAB file elsewhere on your system. You can use it to move distribution-list addresses to your Contacts folder (see “Importing a Distribution List from a PAB” at the end of the chapter).
|
|