Create distribution list in Outlook from Excel spreadsheet?

Bruce · External Since: Mar 08, 2006 Posts: 94

I have about 70 email addresses (non-profit assoc. members) in an Access
database that, if needed, I can convert to an Excel spreadsheet.

What I want to do is generate a distribution list in Outlook without having
to start from scratch and select each name in the Address Book. Can this be
done?

Thanks

Brian Tillman · External Since: Mar 29, 2005 Posts: 20862

Bruce <Bruce DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> What I want to do is generate a distribution list in Outlook without
> having to start from scratch and select each name in the Address
> Book. Can this be done?

If you have a semicolon-separated list of addresses in a text file, you can
open a new DL, click "Select Members", then open the address list file and
copy-and-paste the list into the Members field in the address book window.
Click OK and they'll be added to the DL. I've done it so I know it works.
It may also work with a comma-separated list, but I haven't tried that.
--
Brian Tillman

d.deane · External Since: Aug 07, 2006 Posts: 2

Followup questions related to Bruce's original question. Context is
maintaining organizational (Org) member email information for use in
broadcast emails to members. The info currently lives in Excel.

1) Can an Outllook DL created directly, either by the copy-paste procedure
you suggest or by keying email addresses directly in the DL's Members list,
rather than created by selecting already-existing Outllook contacts, be
exported to a file for use by other people? If so, how? In my tries so far,
such exported files (in Excel or CSV format) have omitted all distribution
lists.

2) Can I import address/contact data from Excel (or CSV file) into a
separately-named Outlook address/contacts folder rather than to the general
Contacts folder? If so, how? Outlook doesn't seem to allow selecting a
particular destination contacts folder for imported data.

3) Considering that Outlook does allow opening a .pst file with
address/contacts data into a separately named contacts folder, can the
current Excel file be converted into a .pst file either directly or via an
intermediate CSV file? If so, how?

Thanks for all help.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

> Bruce <Bruce.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > What I want to do is generate a distribution list in Outlook without
> > having to start from scratch and select each name in the Address
> > Book. Can this be done?
>
> If you have a semicolon-separated list of addresses in a text file, you can
> open a new DL, click "Select Members", then open the address list file and
> copy-and-paste the list into the Members field in the address book window.
> Click OK and they'll be added to the DL. I've done it so I know it works.
> It may also work with a comma-separated list, but I haven't tried that.
> --
> Brian Tillman
>
>

Brian Tillman · External Since: Mar 29, 2005 Posts: 20862

d.deane(nospam)@comcast.net
<ddeanenospamcomcastnet RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> 1) Can an Outllook DL created directly, either by the copy-paste
> procedure you suggest or by keying email addresses directly in the
> DL's Members list, rather than created by selecting already-existing
> Outllook contacts, be exported to a file for use by other people? If
> so, how? In my tries so far, such exported files (in Excel or CSV
> format) have omitted all distribution lists.

ARe these other people also using Exchange? If so, of course. If not, then
you can export it as a text file with will look like this:

Distribution List Name: yourlistname

Members:

member one address
member two address
member three address

with a tab between the member name and the address.
--
Brian Tillman
>
> 2) Can I import address/contact data from Excel (or CSV file) into a
> separately-named Outlook address/contacts folder rather than to the
> general Contacts folder? If so, how? Outlook doesn't seem to allow
> selecting a particular destination contacts folder for imported data.
>
> 3) Considering that Outlook does allow opening a .pst file with
> address/contacts data into a separately named contacts folder, can the
> current Excel file be converted into a .pst file either directly or
> via an intermediate CSV file? If so, how?
>
> Thanks for all help.
>
> "Brian Tillman" wrote:
>
>> Bruce <Bruce RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>>> What I want to do is generate a distribution list in Outlook without
>>> having to start from scratch and select each name in the Address
>>> Book. Can this be done?
>>
>> If you have a semicolon-separated list of addresses in a text file,
>> you can open a new DL, click "Select Members", then open the address
>> list file and copy-and-paste the list into the Members field in the
>> address book window. Click OK and they'll be added to the DL. I've
>> done it so I know it works. It may also work with a comma-separated
>> list, but I haven't tried that. --
>> Brian Tillman

d.deane · External Since: Aug 07, 2006 Posts: 2

Brian:
Re (1):
-- Not using Exchange.
-- HOW do I export the DL to a text file, considering that past text files
from Outlook's export process have omitted all DLs? And if DL export can
work, how can I select a particular Outlook address/contact folder to export
from rather than exporting all address/contact info from Outlook?

Re (2) & (3): Any chance of answers to these?

Thanks,

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

> d.deane(nospam)@comcast.net
> <ddeanenospamcomcastnet RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > 1) Can an Outllook DL created directly, either by the copy-paste
> > procedure you suggest or by keying email addresses directly in the
> > DL's Members list, rather than created by selecting already-existing
> > Outllook contacts, be exported to a file for use by other people? If
> > so, how? In my tries so far, such exported files (in Excel or CSV
> > format) have omitted all distribution lists.
>
> ARe these other people also using Exchange? If so, of course. If not, then
> you can export it as a text file with will look like this:
>
> Distribution List Name: yourlistname
>
> Members:
>
> member one address
> member two address
> member three address
>
> with a tab between the member name and the address.
> --
> Brian Tillman
> >
> > 2) Can I import address/contact data from Excel (or CSV file) into a
> > separately-named Outlook address/contacts folder rather than to the
> > general Contacts folder? If so, how? Outlook doesn't seem to allow
> > selecting a particular destination contacts folder for imported data.
> >
> > 3) Considering that Outlook does allow opening a .pst file with
> > address/contacts data into a separately named contacts folder, can the
> > current Excel file be converted into a .pst file either directly or
> > via an intermediate CSV file? If so, how?
> >
> > Thanks for all help.
> >
> > "Brian Tillman" wrote:
> >
> >> Bruce <Bruce RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> What I want to do is generate a distribution list in Outlook without
> >>> having to start from scratch and select each name in the Address
> >>> Book. Can this be done?
> >>
> >> If you have a semicolon-separated list of addresses in a text file,
> >> you can open a new DL, click "Select Members", then open the address
> >> list file and copy-and-paste the list into the Members field in the
> >> address book window. Click OK and they'll be added to the DL. I've
> >> done it so I know it works. It may also work with a comma-separated
> >> list, but I haven't tried that. --
> >> Brian Tillman
>
>
>

Brian Tillman · External Since: Mar 29, 2005 Posts: 20862

d.deane(nospam)@comcast.net
<ddeanenospamcomcastnet RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> -- HOW do I export the DL to a text file, considering that past text
> files from Outlook's export process have omitted all DLs?

Open the DL and and choose FIle>Save As.

> Re (2) & (3): Any chance of answers to these?

> 2) Can I import address/contact data from Excel (or CSV file) into a
> separately-named Outlook address/contacts folder rather than to the
> general
> Contacts folder?

Yes.

> If so, how? Outlook doesn't seem to allow selecting a
> particular destination contacts folder for imported data.

File>Import and Export>Import from another program or file>Comma Separated
Value (Windows)>Next. Browse to the CSV, select it, click OK, select the
duplicate handling you want, and click OK. Select the folder into which you
want to import it and click Finish. Works for me.

> 3) Considering that Outlook does allow opening a .pst file with
> address/contacts data into a separately named contacts folder, can the
> current Excel file be converted into a .pst file either directly or via an
> intermediate CSV file? If so, how?

You cannot convert a CSV file or a spreadsheet into a PST. You must import
into Outlook.
--
Brian Tillman

eriko · External Since: Apr 01, 2009 Posts: 1

i created a distribution list using .csv from excel. how ever when i opened
it the fields were not correct. in excel i had fields for first name; last
name and email
when i mapped i used display for last name: however in outlook 2007 i had
fields for name (first name) and email address. how can i get the original
three fields into outlook. if u can help thank you. i look forwards for some
advice.

"Brian Tillman" wrote:

> d.deane(nospam)@comcast.net
> <ddeanenospamcomcastnet RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > -- HOW do I export the DL to a text file, considering that past text
> > files from Outlook's export process have omitted all DLs?
>
> Open the DL and and choose FIle>Save As.
>
> > Re (2) & (3): Any chance of answers to these?
>
> > 2) Can I import address/contact data from Excel (or CSV file) into a
> > separately-named Outlook address/contacts folder rather than to the
> > general
> > Contacts folder?
>
> Yes.
>
> > If so, how? Outlook doesn't seem to allow selecting a
> > particular destination contacts folder for imported data.
>
> File>Import and Export>Import from another program or file>Comma Separated
> Value (Windows)>Next. Browse to the CSV, select it, click OK, select the
> duplicate handling you want, and click OK. Select the folder into which you
> want to import it and click Finish. Works for me.
>
> > 3) Considering that Outlook does allow opening a .pst file with
> > address/contacts data into a separately named contacts folder, can the
> > current Excel file be converted into a .pst file either directly or via an
> > intermediate CSV file? If so, how?
>
> You cannot convert a CSV file or a spreadsheet into a PST. You must import
> into Outlook.
> --
> Brian Tillman
>
>

Diane Poremsky [MVP] · External Since: Jul 28, 2005 Posts: 6715

you have to map the last name to the last name field. Try re-importing
them.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com

Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:dailytips-subscribe-request@lists.outlooktips.net

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:EMO-NEWSLETTER-SUBSCRIBE-REQUEST@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

"eriko" <eriko.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7FDC18B5-E140-4BB8-820D-104DC3927FA5@microsoft.com...
> i created a distribution list using .csv from excel. how ever when i
> opened
> it the fields were not correct. in excel i had fields for first name; last
> name and email
> when i mapped i used display for last name: however in outlook 2007 i had
> fields for name (first name) and email address. how can i get the original
> three fields into outlook. if u can help thank you. i look forwards for
> some
> advice.
>
> "Brian Tillman" wrote:
>
>> d.deane(nospam)@comcast.net
>> <ddeanenospamcomcastnet.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> > -- HOW do I export the DL to a text file, considering that past text
>> > files from Outlook's export process have omitted all DLs?
>>
>> Open the DL and and choose FIle>Save As.
>>
>> > Re (2) & (3): Any chance of answers to these?
>>
>> > 2) Can I import address/contact data from Excel (or CSV file) into a
>> > separately-named Outlook address/contacts folder rather than to the
>> > general
>> > Contacts folder?
>>
>> Yes.
>>
>> > If so, how? Outlook doesn't seem to allow selecting a
>> > particular destination contacts folder for imported data.
>>
>> File>Import and Export>Import from another program or file>Comma
>> Separated
>> Value (Windows)>Next. Browse to the CSV, select it, click OK, select the
>> duplicate handling you want, and click OK. Select the folder into which
>> you
>> want to import it and click Finish. Works for me.
>>
>> > 3) Considering that Outlook does allow opening a .pst file with
>> > address/contacts data into a separately named contacts folder, can the
>> > current Excel file be converted into a .pst file either directly or via
>> > an
>> > intermediate CSV file? If so, how?
>>
>> You cannot convert a CSV file or a spreadsheet into a PST. You must
>> import
>> into Outlook.
>> --
>> Brian Tillman
>>
>>

Davena · External Since: Nov 06, 2009 Posts: 1

"Bruce" wrote:

> I have about 70 email addresses (non-profit assoc. members) in an Access
> database that, if needed, I can convert to an Excel spreadsheet.
>
> What I want to do is generate a distribution list in Outlook without having
> to start from scratch and select each name in the Address Book. Can this be
> done?
>
> Thanks