Managing Contacts

Contacts in Exchange 2003 represent people inside and outside the organization who users want to communicate with. Contacts can have directory information associated with them, but not have network logon privileges. The two types of contacts are standard contacts and mail-enabled contacts. Unlike standard contacts, which have no associated email addresses, mail-enabled contacts have one or more associated email addresses. Contacts with email addresses can be listed in the Global Address List (GAL) or other address lists in an organization, allowing others to send messages to them.

Creating a standard or a mail-enabled contact is accomplished fairly easily using the following steps:

1.	Click Start, All Programs, Microsoft Exchange, Active Directory Users and Computers.
2.	Right-click in the container to hold the new contact, select New, and then select Contact. The New Object-Contact dialog box will open as shown in Figure 3.2. Figure 3.2. Entering new contact information.
3.	Complete the form fields for first name, initial, and last name. The full name that is displayed in Active Directory User and Computers is filled in automatically. The full name is also used by other users when searching the directory for a contact.
4.	If the contact requires a name that is different from the full name, fill in the display name field. The display name is shown in the GAL and other organization address lists and is used when addressing emails to the contact. Click Next to continue.
5.	If a mail-enabled contact is not required, uncheck the Create an Exchange E-Mail address option and skip directly to step 7.
6.	Fill in the Exchange alias for the contact and click the Modify button. A dialog box for entering the email address appears. Select the type of email address required by the organization, such as SMTP, and then click OK. In the next dialog box, complete the properties for the contact and then click OK.
7.	Click Next and then click Finish, creating the new contact.

Additional information can also be set for a contact by opening the properties page for a contact. Double-click the contact's name in ADUC to see the options available for modification. Each property tab contains different contact info that can be modified. The General tab contains general contact information such as the contact's name, office location, or primary telephone number. The Address tab provides fields for the contact's business address. The Telephones tab contains options for adding multiple additional telephone numbers. The Organization tab contains settings for the contact's title, department, and company name. After the modifications are completed, be sure to click Apply or OK to apply and set the changes.