importing contacts from excel; missing email addresses

F

flahgordie

Hello, I am new here and was hoping someone could help. I have outloo
2003 and exported my contacts (all 810 of them) to excel 2003 using th
wizard. I then updated a lot of the information in excel and define
the range. When I import the file back into outlook, many of m
e-mail addresses do not seem to be imported. They exist in the exce
spreadsheet, however, they do not populate in outlook. Does anyon
know why this would be. It thought it might have something to do thei
format in excel, however, I seen no difference between the few that i
does seem to complete the import for, and those that the wizar
ignors.
Any ideas? Thanks for your help
 
K

Karl Timmermans

Since the data itself is not viewable/available - there could be any number
of causes. Having said that,

#1 - Are the email addresses that are <not> being imported actually
valid/properly constructed email addresses?
#2 - If you save your worksheet in CSV format and import that file instead -
are the results the same (just to take Excel out of the equation
completely)?
#3 - If the results are still the same after step#2 - using the CSV file as
the source for this purpose, when you compare one contact that imported
correctly as compared to one that didn't - are there any salient differences
between the two? (i.e. Email Address Type value, spaces in front of an email
address (i.e spaces which follow the comma before the first visible
character in the email address field)

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
 
F

flahgordie

Hello, thanks for helping me out.

This storey has a good ending, but I thought I might post it for anyone
else that might have this problem. Sorry for its length.

I believe the addresses are constructed properly. As far as their
validation…I am not sure what you mean by this. If you are asking
whether they are actual addresses on the internet, the answer is yes.
In fact 1 of them is mine. However I have discovered a term referring
to whether an email address is resolved, unfortunately I am not sure
how to verify this. If this refers to whether or not the email
addresses are underlined and active (clickable) the addresses I have
are not. However I am not sure this would be my problem. As a test,
in excel, I activated a couple of the addresses (email #1, made them
clickable), and the results were no different.

I have noticed that it appears as though any contact I have with two or
three e-mail addresses, the import wizard has correctly brings in the
second email information - Email 2, as well as the third, but it is
ignoring the first. This is a problem because most of my contacts only
have the one e-mail address. In my personal information I have 3
emails, the first one has been ignored but the other 2 have been
successfully imported. Structurally, in excel, I see no difference
between the addresses that are successfully dealt with and those that
are ignored.

To further my investigation, after importing the excel data, I turned
around and exported the contacts list back to excel. I then compared
the two sheets. Again, I see no difference in the two sheets, except
for the fact that now… on the “exported from outlook to excel” sheet I
have no e-mail #1. (email #2 and #3 are shown). And again,
structurally, in excel, I see no difference between the addresses that
are successfully dealt with and those that are ignored, even across the
imported list vs the exported list.

Taking your advise, I first deleted my contacts in outlook and then
saved my excel file as a csv. file. I then imported the csv file to
outlook using the wizard. This generated less success. Now I have no
email addresses in outlook. All other data appears to be intact and
appears to have be imported correctly. Just no e-mail #1.

To further my investigation, after importing the csv data, I turned
around and exported the contacts list back to csv. I then compared the
two csv files. Again, I see no difference in the two sheets, except for
the fact that now… on the “exported from outlook to csv” sheet I have no
emails at all. The file I imported looks the same as the one I exported
in all respects except now outlook has not recognized any emails.

One thing to note, when I go to save my excel file as a csv. , a
message is brought up indicating that my file “may contain features
that are not compatible will csv format”. I choose to keep the work
book in the csv format.

I see no difference in the format of the 2nd and 3rd e-mail addresses
that seem to be successfully imported from excel to outlook, and the
1st emails that are ignored. The excel formula bar shows …
[email protected] vs ‘[email protected] . I see no extra
spaces after the ‘ that precedes the address.

One last thing that I observed, and I find this extremely strange. As
you use the import wizard, you follow theses steps… “ACTION TO PREFORM:
import from another program or file”; “TYPE of IMPORT: Microsoft
excel”; “FILE TO IMPORT(with duplicates options): import excel.xls
(replace duplicates)”; “SELECT DESTINATION FOLDER: Contacts”; “THE
FOLLOWING ACTIONS WILL BE PREFORMED: choose ‘import “contacts” into
folder: Contacts’… In this window there is a button to “Map Custom
Fields”. I have never looked at this much because when I was updating
my original contacts, I simply exported them to the excel file so I
could complete the upgrade, and to ensure the proper headings would be
used for the mapping. However, if you enter the “Map Custom Fields”
section, you are presented with a left side (excel) “value” that
represents your fields, and a right side (outlook) “field” which
represents the fields that outlook will be using. There is also a
“Mapped from” section that ensures the bridge between the two (your
excel value and the outlook field) is complete. I have expanded all the
Outlook fields out” and believe that they correspond or are mapped
correctly with my values. In my case the “outlook mapped from” and the
“excel values” are the same. And now for the strange part…at the bottom
of this screen there is a “Next” button. This button appears to let you
cycle through your records to ensure the actual excel values match up in
the correct fields in outlook. In your case…excel First: Karl would
appear as First: Karl in outlook. When I view the records for the
emails #1 …“EmailAddress” “EmailType” and “EmailDisplayName” the
“EmailAddress” does not show any value, however the second aspect to
e-mail #1 “EmailType” displays SMPT as it should, as does
“EmailDisplayName” “Joe Smoe”

It simply does not recognize that there is data in the excel sheet.

Soooooooooo. It thought, why not go back and see if it recognises the
values in a csv file. I started the wizard again, imported my csv
file, checked the mapping and to my surprise, a few fields, including
ALL my email fields #1, #2 and #3. The WERE NOT. mapped. Making a few
associations, and checking the record preview, I began to see light at
the end of the tunnel.

Completing the wizard, I believe I have now successfully imported my
contacts list using excel to save the file as a csv, but the big hiccup
was to ensure that the mapping was correct. I will need to verify the
data in outlook, but as it stands right now, I believe the problem of
the missing e-mail addresses have been solved. Thanks greatly to you!

Any idea why the outlook will not import that data from excel? I find
it very strange, that it (excel or outlook) would simply not recognize
that data when mapped correctly.

Thanks again for your help.
 
K

Karl Timmermans

First would like to thank you for the explanation - primarily for others who
may read this thread in future.

The problem with trying to decipher problems of this nature is not being
able to see/play with the actual data. Can't tell you the number of times we
have been able to isolate issues within minutes after recieving sample data.

On that note - a few comments re: your explanation:

#1 - If the email addresses are not resolved (underlined) - they will not
export via Outlook's export wizard

#2 - As I've said many times here before, letting Outlook "auto map" fields
because one thinks that the field names are identical is fundamentally a
quest for problems. I know many here who suggest that the field/column names
(Excel, CSV, Access - whatever) should be set to be identical to Outlook -
nice activity if you want to spend the time but serves no purpose other than
making the mapping faster. However, it is always advisable to still check
what was (or wasn't) mapped (via Map Custom Fields) option. Columns/fields
being imported can have any legal name - you just have to map the
appropriate fields which further serves making sure that you have everything
a) mapped and b) mapped to where you want these fields to go

#3 - If you actually mapped your email fields to "Email" (or Email 2, Email
3) - that is a mistake (in many cases this will work - in other cases it
won't). The actual email addresses should be mapped to their corresponding
fields "Email Address" (or Email 1 Address / Email 2 Address) which are
found when you expand the Email / Email 2 / Email 3 fields. Outlook will
fill in the Email Address Type and Display As fields

#4 - The message when saving a CSV file is normal in regards to missing
Excel features and is exactly what should be selected

#5 - As for the leading apostrophe "'" in front of every text field is a
function of the MS driver which I find is a pain in the rear but there is no
way to eliminate that when using the driver. Our suggestion (when asked) is
to always save data in CSV format and then open it in Excel - much more
reliable end result - saving the worksheet then in Excel format still
provides the desired worksheet. There are all kinds of little nuances usng
Excel as a data source/target (any version) that can come into play.

In closing, feel free to send (to support @ contactgenie.com - not me
directly) a sample set of 2 or 3 working and non-working records and we'll
take it from there (with a complete explanation and mention the newsgroup as
the reason for your submission - don't assume that whoever initially reads
the message you send will have any idea of the newsgroup interaction). Cases
like this are used to strengthening ContactGenie functionality (where and
when applicable) and/or at the very least - identify what the problem is
which typically cannot be done via endless emails or phone conversations (at
least not without spending a great deal of unnecessary time).

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
 
B

Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]

I have noticed that it appears as though any contact I have with two or
three e-mail addresses, the import wizard has correctly brings in the
second email information - Email 2, as well as the third, but it is
ignoring the first.

This is a fairly sure sign that the address is not properly resolved. Onen
one of the contacts for which this is happening, erase and reenter the
address, then Save and Close. Check to see if the reentered address now
appears.
 
D

Dave Roach

For some reason, Outlook does not automatically remap to it's own fields(!). When reimporting the text file, choose to do a custom remapping (it's an option on the last dialogue box before you import the file). Then for the email fields, drag & drop to the email destination fields.

This should clear up the problem.

-Dave
Hello, I am new here and was hoping someone could help. I have outlook
2003 and exported my contacts (all 810 of them) to excel 2003 using the
wizard. I then updated a lot of the information in excel and defined
the range. When I import the file back into outlook, many of my
e-mail addresses do not seem to be imported. They exist in the excel
spreadsheet, however, they do not populate in outlook. Does anyone
know why this would be. It thought it might have something to do their
format in excel, however, I seen no difference between the few that it
does seem to complete the import for, and those that the wizard
ignors.
Any ideas? Thanks for your help!




--
flahgordie
On Tuesday, November 04, 2008 1:09 AM Karl Timmermans wrote:
Since the data itself is not viewable/available - there could be any number
of causes. Having said that,

valid/properly constructed email addresses?
are the results the same (just to take Excel out of the equation
completely)?
the source for this purpose, when you compare one contact that imported
correctly as compared to one that didn't - are there any salient differences
between the two? (i.e. Email Address Type value, spaces in front of an email
address (i.e spaces which follow the comma before the first visible
character in the email address field)

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com




news:[email protected]...
On Tuesday, November 04, 2008 2:08 PM Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook] wrote:


This is a fairly sure sign that the address is not properly resolved. Onen
one of the contacts for which this is happening, erase and reenter the
address, then Save and Close. Check to see if the reentered address now
appears.
 

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