OL97: Unable to Import TSV or CSV File into Outlook

• Microsoft Outlook 97

SYMPTOMS

When you import a tab-delimited (TSV) or comma-delimited (CSV) text file into Microsoft Outlook 97, you may not see the individual fields listed for mapping in the Map Custom Fields dialog box. Instead, all fields are in a row, separated by small box characters.

RESOLUTION

Open the TSV or CSV file in Microsoft Excel and step through the text import wizard. Save the file from Excel in TSV format and use that file for importing into Outlook.

MORE INFORMATION

Opening the TSV or CSV File in Excel

1. On the Excel File menu, click Open.

2. Click to select the TSV or CSV file.

3. If the file is comma-delimited, click Next and then continue with step 4. If the file is tab-delimited, click Finish and then refer to the "To Save the File From Excel in TSV Format" section later in this article.

4. In the Delimiters area, click to select Comma and click to clear any other selected delimiters, then click Next and Finish.

To Save the File in TSV Format

1. On the Excel File menu, click Save As.

2. In the Save as type list, click to select, "Text (Tab Delimited)(*.Txt)" and then click Save.

3. Quit Excel.

Importing the TSV File into Outlook

1. On the Outlook File menu, click to select Import and Export.

2. In the "Choose an action to perform" list, click to select "Import from Schedule+ or another program or file" and then click Next.

3. In the "Select file type to import from" list, click to select "Tab Separated Values (windows)" and then click Next.

4. In the File To Import box, type the path and name or browse to the file to be imported (saved from Excel earlier), and then click Next.

5. Click to select the folder you want to import the records into and then click Next.

6. Click to select, Import "<FILENAME>.TXT" into the "<Folder name>" folder.