Importing Data from Other Sources

Outlook enables you to import data from a variety of other sources. You can import from other Microsoft programs, such as Excel and Access, as well as from non-Microsoft programs, such as Lotus Organizer and ACT.

Occasionally, you'll probably want to import items from another file, such as an Access database or an Excel spreadsheet, into Outlook. The most common use for importing this type of information is to share address lists. You can enter the addresses into an Excel spreadsheet and then send the spreadsheet to several people. Each of those individuals can then import the spreadsheet into their Outlook Contacts folder.

To import addresses from an Access database, do the following:

  1. Select File, Import and Export to display the Import and Export Wizard.

  2. Choose Import from Another Program or File and click Next to display Figure 23.11.

    Figure 23.11. You can import Outlook data from a wide variety of other file types.

    graphics/23fig11.gif

  3. Select Microsoft Access as your data source and click Next to display Figure 23.12.

    Figure 23.12. Select your database and choose whether to create duplicate items.

    graphics/23fig12.gif

  4. Click Browse to find your database. When you've found the database that contains the data you want to import, select it and click OK.

  5. Choose whether to create duplicate items when importing. Click Next to display Figure 23.13.

    Figure 23.13. Choose the destination folder for your items.

    graphics/23fig13.gif

  6. If you're importing addresses, choose a Contacts folder. You can import other items, such as notes or tasks, by selecting another type of Outlook folder. When you've chosen the Outlook folder to receive your imported data, click Next.

  7. The Import and Export Wizard displays all the available tables in your database. You can import data from any number of tables contained in your database. Click the check box next to a table name to include that table in the import.

  8. If the table you select does not have fields that Outlook recognizes, Outlook immediately launches the Map Custom Fields Wizard, shown in Figure 23.14.

    Figure 23.14. Use this dialog box to tell Outlook what fields in your table relate to Outlook fields.

    graphics/23fig14.jpg

  9. The box on the right (From) displays all the fields in your table. The box on the left (To) displays all fields available in the folder you selected in step 6. Select a field in the From box, drag it over to the To box, and release it on the desired destination field. The To box should now look similar to Figure 23.15.

    Figure 23.15. After you map custom fields, you can view field mappings on the right of this dialog box.

    graphics/23fig15.jpg

    NOTE

    If you attempt to map fields that are of incompatible data types, the OK button on the Map Custom Fields dialog box will never become active. You can click the Clear Map button and start your field mapping over again or click Cancel to return to the previous screen and choose a different table to import.

  10. When you're satisfied with the field mapping, click OK to return to Figure 23.16.

    Figure 23.16. Confirm your import details and click Finish to begin your import.

    graphics/23fig16.gif

  11. You can also choose a different folder destination for any of the tables in your database. Click Change Destination to select a different folder for the currently selected table. This enables you to import a wide variety of data with one import operation, instead of multiple operations.

  12. Click Finish to complete the import process. Depending on how much data you need to import, this process can take between 10 seconds and several minutes.

The steps to import from an Excel spreadsheet are almost identical. Instead of choosing tables to import, you can choose worksheets in an Excel spreadsheet.

TIP

An Excel file must have a named range before you can import data. If your Excel file has no named ranges, you'll receive an error message. To create a named range in Excel, select the cells you want to include in your named range and select Insert, Name, Define. Enter a name for your range and click OK. After you've named your range, you can start the import. All named ranges in the spreadsheet are available for import.


Importing and Exporting Data from Non-Microsoft Programs

Outlook can import data from other programs in addition to Excel and Access. You can choose from any of the valid programs listed in the Import and Export Wizard. If you're upgrading from Lotus Organizer to Outlook, you can use the Import and Export Wizard to import your Lotus Organizer 4.x or 5.x files directly into Outlook. You can also import directly from ACT! versions 3.x, 4.x, and 2000.

However, there are a wide variety of other personal information managers out there, and the particular file that contains your data might not be listed in the Import a File dialog box. If you're attempting to import data from a file type not listed in the Import a File dialog box, you might need to first export your data from its original application. The most common formats for exporting data are comma-separated values (CSV) and tab-separated values. Choosing either of these formats to export the data stored in the source program produces data that Outlook can recognize and import.

CAUTION

If you're importing from a CSV file and field values have commas in them, Outlook probably won't perform as expected. If you have data within a CSV file that contains commas, enclose that data within quotation marks. The same caution applies to data in a tab-separated values file that contains the tab character.


  1. To import data from a CSV file, select File, Import and Export.

  2. Choose to import from another program or file and click Next.

  3. Choose Comma Separated Values (Windows) and click Next.

  4. Browse to find the file in question and chose whether Outlook should create duplicates during the import.

  5. Click Next to select a destination folder.

  6. Click Next again to verify the import operation and Map Custom Fields.

  7. When you've verified that the field mapping is correct, click OK and then click Finish to perform your import.

TIP

You should always check the field mapping by clicking the Map Custom Fields button. Even if you have a CSV file with headings such as Name, Email Address, Address, City, State, Zip, and Country, it's possible that Outlook won't always map the fields correctly.


NOTE

If you're having problems importing custom contact information from an external source into a custom contact form in Outlook, see the "Improving Your Outlook" section at the end of this chapter.




Special Edition Using Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Special Edition Using Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
ISBN: 0789729563
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 426

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