Distribution list problems

[Art Nittskoff]

I am trying to start using Outlook 2007 and it has been very frustrating. I
have used Outlook Express for many, many years and I love it. I decided that
I might want the extra benefits of OUTLOOK 2007 and I now have over 60 hours
of messing with it to try to get it right…so it is time to see if I can use
some “professional helpâ€.
My major problem is with DISTRIBUTION LISTS.
In outlook express, I had many groups. I know that in Outlook they are
called distribution lists and I figured they would be easier to use…but I am
finding they are not…or at least I do not know how to make them easier.
I am responsible for putting out several different email newsletters. Many
times people email me and say they would like to be added to a couple of
different emails I put out. So, if I received an email that said, “please add
(e-mail address removed) to my mailing list, I would right click on (e-mail address removed),
then add it to my main contact list. Then, I would have all my email names on
the right side of my screen and all my groups on the left side. I would
simply drag the (e-mail address removed) to each of the groups I wanted to add it to.
Then, in a few weeks when nice guy got smart and left AOL, he would email me
to say that he changed his email address to (e-mail address removed), I would just go
to his name in my main contacts, edit the email address and now it would be
instantly changed in all the groups.
Nice guy might also email me and say he wants to be removed from all emails.
I just went to his name in the main contact list, deleted him, and he was
deleted from all groups. It appears that in OUTLOOK you would have to
manually delete him from each group.
In Outlook Express, I could open up a group and it would show me how many
people were in the group. Does a distribution list do the same thing?
If I wanted to start a new group (distribution list), I could go to the main
contacts, highlight each name I wanted, and then drag them to the new group.
Is there a way to do that in Outlook?
Some of my distribution lists have over 200 contacts in them. When I open
them up they are displayed sorted by first name. Is there a way to get them
sorted by last name?
Sometimes, I get an error that says it cannot be sent. I open up the
distribution list and all the names are there, but when I click on an
individual name it tells me it does not exist. I check the contacts and it
does exist. Later on the list works well. What is going on?
I tried sending a distribution list by email to myself so I can put it on my
computer at home. I was able to open it up, I said to save it..but it would
not open again. What am I doing wrong?
Sorry I made this so long…here are my questions re-asked in bullet form:
• Is there an easy way to “drop and drag†into a list?
• When I change the email address in the contact, does it change it in the
list?
• When I delete a contact, does it delete it from each list?
• How can I tell the distribution list to sort by last name?
• How do I find out how many names are in each list?
• How do I send a distribution list as a contact so I can save it save it on
another computer?
I am having lots of other problems, but that will be the subject of a
different email. Thanks in advance for all the help!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Art

 

[Gordon]

I am trying to start using Outlook 2007 and it has been very frustrating. I
have used Outlook Express for many, many years and I love it. I decided
that
I might want the extra benefits of OUTLOOK 2007 and I now have over 60
hours
of messing with it to try to get it right…so it is time to see if I can
use
some “professional helpâ€.
My major problem is with DISTRIBUTION LISTS.
In outlook express, I had many groups. I know that in Outlook they are
called distribution lists and I figured they would be easier to use…but I
am
finding they are not…or at least I do not know how to make them easier.
I am responsible for putting out several different email newsletters. Many
times people email me and say they would like to be added to a couple of
different emails I put out. So, if I received an email that said, “please
add
(e-mail address removed) to my mailing list, I would right click on
(e-mail address removed),
then add it to my main contact list. Then, I would have all my email names
on
the right side of my screen and all my groups on the left side. I would
simply drag the (e-mail address removed) to each of the groups I wanted to add it
to.
Then, in a few weeks when nice guy got smart and left AOL, he would email
me
to say that he changed his email address to (e-mail address removed), I would just
go
to his name in my main contacts, edit the email address and now it would
be
instantly changed in all the groups.
Nice guy might also email me and say he wants to be removed from all
emails.
I just went to his name in the main contact list, deleted him, and he was
deleted from all groups. It appears that in OUTLOOK you would have to
manually delete him from each group.
In Outlook Express, I could open up a group and it would show me how many
people were in the group. Does a distribution list do the same thing?
If I wanted to start a new group (distribution list), I could go to the
main
contacts, highlight each name I wanted, and then drag them to the new
group.
Is there a way to do that in Outlook?
Some of my distribution lists have over 200 contacts in them. When I open
them up they are displayed sorted by first name. Is there a way to get
them
sorted by last name?
Sometimes, I get an error that says it cannot be sent. I open up the
distribution list and all the names are there, but when I click on an
individual name it tells me it does not exist. I check the contacts and it
does exist. Later on the list works well. What is going on?
I tried sending a distribution list by email to myself so I can put it on
my
computer at home. I was able to open it up, I said to save it..but it
would
not open again. What am I doing wrong?
Sorry I made this so long…here are my questions re-asked in bullet form:
• Is there an easy way to “drop and drag†into a list?
• When I change the email address in the contact, does it change it in the
list?
• When I delete a contact, does it delete it from each list?
• How can I tell the distribution list to sort by last name?
• How do I find out how many names are in each list?
• How do I send a distribution list as a contact so I can save it save it
on
another computer?
I am having lots of other problems, but that will be the subject of a
different email. Thanks in advance for all the help!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Art

Use Categories instead. Much easier

 

[Art Nittskoff]

I am not sure what you mean by use categories.

I have most of the people listed as a category..is there a way to import a
category into a list or do I do an email to a cetegory?

 

[Gordon]

I am not sure what you mean by use categories.

I have most of the people listed as a category..is there a way to import a
category into a list or do I do an email to a cetegory?

Highlight the Category and do Actions-Create-New Message to Contact.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

DL's in Outlook are very different than Groups in OE. You'll want to assign
categories to contacts - in your example, you'll add the mailing list
category to Mr Nice Guy's contact. When he unsubscribe you'll either delete
his contact or remove the category from it.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]





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[Art Nittskoff]

Thanks. I like this idea.

Just to make sure I understand it. You say INSTEAD of having distribution
lists that I categorize each person and then do a mailing to that
category...is that correct?

That brings up 2 more questions.

How many categories can each contact have? I have some people that are on 4
or 5 lists.

Do I have to go to contacts, category view and then hightlight the category
to do the mailing or is there a way to put it in the TO field in the create a
new message box...or from a word document.

I really appreciate the help. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[Gordon]

Thanks. I like this idea.

Just to make sure I understand it. You say INSTEAD of having distribution
lists that I categorize each person and then do a mailing to that
category...is that correct?

Yes. that's right.

That brings up 2 more questions.

How many categories can each contact have? I have some people that are on
4
or 5 lists.

Certainly you can have at least 6 categories on one contact - not sure about
the max number!

Do I have to go to contacts, category view and then hightlight the
category
to do the mailing

That's the way to do it.

 

[Art Nittskoff]

Thanks again. I have spent all morning making sure I have all the right
people in categories. Using groups looks like it would be easier because I
can send to them right from Word. I tried to do that with a category but it
does not seem to work.

So now I will send my word doc to myself and then forward to a catogory.

Thanks again and Happy new Year!

Anybody else have a better way to di it?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Thanks again. I have spent all morning making sure I have all the right
people in categories. Using groups looks like it would be easier because I
can send to them right from Word. I tried to do that with a category but
it
does not seem to work.

You can select the contacts in the category and then use Mail Merge to send
to your selection.