How to Import Contacts to Microsoft Outlook From Microsoft Excel
The article intends to explain the process of importing contacts from Microsoft Excel to Microsoft Outlook using easy instructions. Although we have attempted to compile the easy and reliable information in this article, it's still recommended that you follow the directions carefully to avoid confronting any problem.
Users often use their Microsoft Outlook to save and further use substantial number of personal data such as emails, contacts etc.. Importing is just one of these practices that consumers perform to transfer information into Outlook for further use. You might want to import your Excel sheet contacts into Outlook for a number of factors. However, it isn't possible to directly import contacts from Excel to Outlook. You'll have to perform just a small workaround to do the importing. Sounding hard? Thinking about contacting Microsoft technical support for help? Do not worry. You don't have to contact your Microsoft technical support since we have brought you this step-by-step guide that can help you import your Excel contacts into Microsoft Outlook painlessly.
Instructions:
Export from Excel:
First of all, you would need to export the contacts from Excel spreadsheet to a CSV (comma separated value) file using these simple instructions. If your Excel sheet(s) comprises data into different columns such as Name, Phone number, Email address etc.), then click the File menu on top and click the Save As alternative. When the Save As window comes up, select a folder from the dropdown menu next to the Save box, provide a name to the document such as 'excel contacts' (or a title of your choice) in the File name box, then pick CSV (Comma delimited) in the dropdown menu of Save type box, also click on the Save button. Now you're done exporting Excel contacts into a CSV file.
If your Excel sheet does not contain column-divided information, then it is recommended you do so. To do so, add a blank cell to the Excel sheet and split data into various columns like Name, address etc.. Once you are finished doing so, follow the exact same procedure to export the information to a CSV file format.
Import into Outlook:
If you are importing Excel contacts in to the present Contacts folder in Outlook, then use this method. Open Outlook, click on the File menu at the top, and choose Import and Export. After the Import and Export wizard window opens up, pick Import from another program or document, and click on the Next button. Under the Import a File window, then click on Comma Separated Values (Windows), and click on Next. If you realize that the file displayed in the File to import box will be the file the right document (in this case 'excel contacts' that we created while exporting), click on the Next button (let the copies to be created if you are in doubt by choosing one of the three choices on precisely the same window before clicking the Next button), and click the Finish button to close the window. If you realize that the file is not the desired one, then click on the Browse button to locate the file, double click it to open (such as 'excel contacts'), pick Allow duplicates option (if you would like to), then click the Next button. Should you doubt that the columns in Excel spreadsheet won't properly map to the Outlook fields, then pick Map custom fields choice before clicking on the Finish button.
If you're trying to import contacts to some other folder and not into the existing folder, then create a new folder. Open Outlook, right click on the Contacts folder, and select New Folder. Give a title to your folder and click on the OK button to close the window. Now follow the same procedure to access the Import and Export wizard and start importing.