in this video we're going to see how to export and import contacts in Outlook
2016 the best way to learn is to start by exporting that way you'll see what
outlook needs when it comes to importing again go to file open and export and
click on import export a pop-up window gives you a number of options will
choose exporting to a file you've now got two choices an outlook data file or
PST is used exclusively for transferring contacts between Outlook programs so
let's use the CSV format which we can view or amend in an Excel spreadsheet
the next pop up window gives you a number of options to export we're going
to export all of our contacts so we select that option next we choose where
to save the exported file give it a name and click Next you don't
want to map custom fields on this export so we click finish the export can take
some time depending on the size of your contact list I've only got one contact
for this demonstration and here's the exported file opened in Excel the first
thing to notice is that each field in the contacts database becomes a column
in the spreadsheet and there are a lot of fields and not all of them are used
you can now manipulate your contact data in any way you want
creating custom email lists address lists or mail merge or simply exporting
to another database now let's look at the reverse procedure importing contacts
from a list here's an Excel spreadsheet containing a small number of contacts
the first thing I need to do is to make sure that I use the same field names
that outlook uses we're going to have to map the columns to Outlook database
field in just a moment and by using the same field names outlet will do it
automatically for you it's worth taking time to make sure your Excel spreadsheet
is ready for import removing blank or corrupted rows correcting errors and
above all else making sure that the first row contains the correct field
names outlooks field names and not data now save it as a CSV file if you don't
do this outlet won't be able to find it once your spreadsheet is ready for
import open outlook go to file
open and export import/export
select import from another program or file and click Next you now have a
choice of importing from two file types we want to import from a CSV file click
Next and browse to the file that you're going to import I'm going to allow
duplicates for import though there are two other choices replacing or not
importing duplicates always runs the risk of missing out important data
clicking next allows me to choose the Excel spreadsheet for import and I then
need to choose where in Outlook to import it I choose the contacts root
folder so that my spreadsheet creates a new folder in Outlook that's a good way
to keep my imported data separate from other outlook data clicking next takes
me to the import screen where I can map the columns in my spreadsheet to
outlooks data fields because I've used outlooks field names for my spreadsheet
columns outlook has automatically done the mapping for me but it's good to
check click Next and there's a final check that the data is in the correct
field you can change it if necessary but try to avoid this because it's a long
job if you prepare the spreadsheet carefully everything should be in the
right place I finally click OK and finish and the import starts again if
it's a big spreadsheet it can take a few minutes now all I need to do is to check
that the data is there in Outlook click address book and navigate to the
imported folder and there it is in my Outlook contacts folder job done eTop
Technology we're here to help if you like these videos please subscribe to
our youtube channel if you found this video helpful check out some of our more
recent videos and if you're looking for a new IT partner please
is our website