OL97: How to Import a Word Mail Merge Data Source File

• Microsoft Outlook 97
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

You can build Contacts for Microsoft Outlook 97 from a file of names and addresses used in Microsoft Word 97 as a mail merge data source file. This article describes how to accomplish this task.

MORE INFORMATION

If the Word data source file is in the form of a comma delimited text file, it is ready for direct importing into Outlook. See the "Steps to Import a Comma Delimited File to Outlook" section later in this article.

If the data source file is in the form of a Word table, you must first convert it to a comma delimited text file.

NOTE: There must be no embedded commas in the data.

Steps to Convert a Word Table to Comma Delimited Text

1. On the Word File menu, click Open.

2. Click to select the mail merge data source file and then click Open.

3. On the Table menu, click Select Table.

4. On the Table menu, click Convert Table to Text.

5. Click Commas, and then click OK.

6. On the File menu, click Save As.

7. In the Save As Type list, click to select "Text Only with Line Breaks" and then click Save.

8. Quit Word.

Steps to Import a Comma Delimited File to Outlook

1. On the Outlook File menu click Import and Export.

2. Click to select "Import from Schedule Plus or another program or file" and then click Next.

3. Click to select "Comma Separated Values (Windows)" and then click Next.

4. Type or browse to the name of the comma delimited file and then click Next.

5. Click to select the Contacts folder to receive the imported records and then click Next.

6. Click to select, "Import <file name> into the <folder name> folder" and then click Map Custom Fields.

7. Map the fields by dragging the fields from the data source file to the appropriate Contact record fields. Note that those Contact record fields with a plus sign must be expanded to display field detail.

8. After all fields have been mapped, Click OK and then click Finish.