hypercube
asked on
Outook 2016 / 365? Contacts, Groups, Addresses - the Definitive Guide
I'm using Microsoft 365 and Outlook and no Exchange Server.
I'm trying to simply manage my Contacts or whatever the )(*#&%)(*%& one might call "LISTS OF NAMES AND EMAIL ADDRESSES, ETC."
I have finally decided to just learn how to deal with this mess after all these years.
But how?
What is the definitive or best tutorial that will allow one to figure out what to do?
I see lots of references to "Open the Contacts Folder". Well, of course, there is none. What they mean is to "Use the People link at the bottom left and see what opens up".
All I want to do right now is this:
1) start with a CSV files of names and email addresses.
2) Create a Group or email list that I can send emails to the entire group.
3) Create another, etc.
When I create a Group, it doesn't show up anywhere! arghhhh!
I'm trying to simply manage my Contacts or whatever the )(*#&%)(*%& one might call "LISTS OF NAMES AND EMAIL ADDRESSES, ETC."
I have finally decided to just learn how to deal with this mess after all these years.
But how?
What is the definitive or best tutorial that will allow one to figure out what to do?
I see lots of references to "Open the Contacts Folder". Well, of course, there is none. What they mean is to "Use the People link at the bottom left and see what opens up".
All I want to do right now is this:
1) start with a CSV files of names and email addresses.
2) Create a Group or email list that I can send emails to the entire group.
3) Create another, etc.
When I create a Group, it doesn't show up anywhere! arghhhh!
ASKER
Thierry: Thank you!
Still looking for the definitive guide / tutorial. :-)
Still looking for the definitive guide / tutorial. :-)
SOLUTION
membership
Create a free account to see this answer
Signing up is free and takes 30 seconds. No credit card required.
Hypercube
1. I would suggest you first add/remove and sort the attributes you want to view in your contacts.
a) Open your contacts in outlook and at the top click the View tab then click Add Columns
b) Add or remove the attributes you want included when you view your contacts and also sort them in the order you want to view them
c)After you have set your attributes up to your liking export the contact list to a .csv file
At the top click File>Open&Export>Import/Ex port>Expor t to a file, click Next and select Comma Seperated Values
d) Name and save this file to your desired location on your pc
e) Edit the file with changes, new contacts, etc
f) Import the .csv file in to the same contacts folder after adding new contacts or making changes to existing contacts.
File>Open&Export>Import/Ex port>Impor t from Another Program or File, click Next and select Comma Seperated Values
navigate to the location of the .csv file
*If you have edited existing contacts you want to select "Replace Duplicates with items imported"*
*If you are just adding new contacts you can select "Do Not Import Duplicate Items"*
1. I would suggest you first add/remove and sort the attributes you want to view in your contacts.
a) Open your contacts in outlook and at the top click the View tab then click Add Columns
b) Add or remove the attributes you want included when you view your contacts and also sort them in the order you want to view them
c)After you have set your attributes up to your liking export the contact list to a .csv file
At the top click File>Open&Export>Import/Ex
d) Name and save this file to your desired location on your pc
e) Edit the file with changes, new contacts, etc
f) Import the .csv file in to the same contacts folder after adding new contacts or making changes to existing contacts.
File>Open&Export>Import/Ex
navigate to the location of the .csv file
*If you have edited existing contacts you want to select "Replace Duplicates with items imported"*
*If you are just adding new contacts you can select "Do Not Import Duplicate Items"*
Of course, Microsoft loves to confuse you. What used to be called contacts is now called People but also sometimes contacts. When you want to create a group list,(what we used to call a distribution list), you will create a new contact group, which will be available when you switch to the contact/people workspace.
Everything in Outlook is stored in folders.
Outlook's Help system has lots of free tutorials. I'd be happy to give you a 10 minute overview via Zoom. Just let me know!
Everything in Outlook is stored in folders.
Outlook's Help system has lots of free tutorials. I'd be happy to give you a 10 minute overview via Zoom. Just let me know!
ASKER
Thanks folks! I did find a number of tutorials with these suggestions.
I'm getting used to the new lingo.
How many times have I asked myself: why did Microsoft bother to change the names and locations of things that show up in web pages, tutorials, etc.etc.?? It can't be for technical reasons most times. It's as if nobody is in charge of anything and "configuration management" is a term unknown in Redmond.
Oh well.
I remain stuck with this:
I already have a .csv file and I want to make a group list / distr list from it.
I've already imported it into a Contact Folder but that doesn't seem to help.
I've scoured instructions but that last step seems to be skipped over.
All I seem to be able to do is to import into Contacts or a Contact Folder.
???
I'm getting used to the new lingo.
How many times have I asked myself: why did Microsoft bother to change the names and locations of things that show up in web pages, tutorials, etc.etc.?? It can't be for technical reasons most times. It's as if nobody is in charge of anything and "configuration management" is a term unknown in Redmond.
Oh well.
I remain stuck with this:
I already have a .csv file and I want to make a group list / distr list from it.
I've already imported it into a Contact Folder but that doesn't seem to help.
I've scoured instructions but that last step seems to be skipped over.
All I seem to be able to do is to import into Contacts or a Contact Folder.
???
1. You have to create the distribution group
In outlook it may say New Contact group
Create your group and name it
In outlook it may say New Contact group
Create your group and name it
You should be able to copy/paste the email addressed into your new Contact Group. Once you create the group and name it, click in the box at the bottom of the dialog box and paste the addresses.
Keep in mind that you might want to limit the contact group list to 50 names
Keep in mind that you might want to limit the contact group list to 50 names
ASKER
OK. I have a named Contact Group.
I can open it and the top menu row and ribbon look like this.
There's noting at the bottom of the box.
"Add Members" provides a list of selections:
- From Outlook Contacts
- From Address Book
- New E-mail Contact
None of these seem to allow finding or adding the Contact Folder that I've created with the addresses.
None of these seem to help importing from a .csv file.
I'm missing something very basic it appears.
I can open it and the top menu row and ribbon look like this.
There's noting at the bottom of the box.
"Add Members" provides a list of selections:
- From Outlook Contacts
- From Address Book
- New E-mail Contact
None of these seem to allow finding or adding the Contact Folder that I've created with the addresses.
None of these seem to help importing from a .csv file.
I'm missing something very basic it appears.
SOLUTION
membership
Create a free account to see this answer
Signing up is free and takes 30 seconds. No credit card required.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
Create a free account to see this answer
Signing up is free and takes 30 seconds. No credit card required.
ASKER
Thank you!!
when people speaks of the bottom left, they mean that:
When they speak of open the contact folder :
- You must click on "folders" view (under the three points)
If you create a group in the contact folder, this group is only for you.
Now, to use the different address books, you can change the default address book, and the order of use.
After displaying an address book, you should find in Tools/Options these configurations.