Outlook – Copy-Move Folders-Items (a PST Import alternative)
There are many articles that describe the process that should be followed when moving Outlook from one system to another with the most important item being that importing data from the original PST file is not the correct approach to use. Essentially, the original PST data file(s) should simply be opened in Outlook on the destination system.
In other cases, the requirement is to simply extract specific information from one system for use on another (i.e. copying contacts from one system to another).
Importing an Outlook PST file
Importing a PST file is a lot different then importing data from a CSV (comma separated values), Microsoft Excel or Access file. If attention isn’t paid to the actual steps required, it can result in the <appearance> that the import was not successful. Whether the PST2PST import process should be used at all is also a question that needs to be addressed.
This video goes through the most important elements when importing data from another PST file.
Outlook Contact Import Overview (CSV – Excel – Access)
This video provides an overview of the Outlook import wizard highlighting some of the major considerations related to specific input file types, custom forms and user-defined fields followed by a demo of how to use the import wizard.
Creating an Excel Named Range & avoiding Outlook import problems
The most common problems people encounter when importing data using an Excel file involve a missing <Named Range> or an incorrectly defined <Named Range> resulting in either too few or too many rows being imported into Excel.
This video shows how to create an Excel <Named Range> and how to avoid common pitfalls related to blank contacts or incorrectly defining what should be imported.
Related Posts:
Excel rows – “Clear Contents” vs “Delete”
Avoiding problems with Outlook contact names
When creating a new Outlook contact, many people simply enter the contact’s name in the contact’s <FullName> field instead of entering the values into the individual fields that comprise the <FullName> field. In doing that, Outlook has to parse the value entered and <TRY> to determine what the actual values should be for the various individual fields (i.e. First/Last name etc). How Outlook parses the values also depends on the default <FullName> setting in effect when the contact is created.
Outlook AddressBook Settings
Two of the most common problems/questions about the Outlook AddressBook relate to which contacts appear by default when the AB is opened and the sequence in which contacts appear. The contact sort order in the AddressBook is commonly confused with the default settings for the FullName and FileAs as defined in contact folders.
This video describes how to change the AddressBook settings.
Related posts:
Outlook AddressBook Overview
Microsoft Outlook Sync Issues – that aren’t
Outlook AddressBook Overview
There is a lot of confusion about what an Outlook AddressBook is particularly for those migrating from other email clients. The term <AddressBook> represents something different in Outlook than in most other email clients where the AddressBook is deemed to represent <ALL> contacts.
This video provides an overview of what the Outlook AddressBook is followed by a demonstration of how to add Outlook contacts to the AB.
Outlook Sync Issues – that aren’t
There are many questions/problems posted about what people believe are Outlook problems as related to <sync> issues. This video describes why sync issues are not Outlook issues and shows real time examples of how problems can be encountered by a 3rd party program making changes to contact fields in Outlook data files (primary focus on the contact name, address fields and addressbook).
PST2PST Importing – How it differs
Something that is often overlooked when importing data from another PST file are the extra options that need to be correctly set which are not the norm when importing from any other kind of data file. This can result in the import being completed with the imported data being contained in an unexpected location giving the appearance that the import did not work (i.e. not work = data appears to be missing) – especially true if more than one PST file (infostore) is contained in the active Outlook profile.
FullName Parsing, FileAs and Sync’ing
This further expands the impact of the Outlook FullName and FileAs settings on how a contact’s individual “name” fields would get populated when entering a contact’s complete name into the FullName field instead of into the individual component parts (see FullName pitfalls to avoid). It can also have an impact on how this information is synced by the many sync programs that exist (either for mobile devices or other applications).