Importing information from other programs

Microsoft Outlook Express can import information that you created in other programs, including contacts, messages, rules, signatures, and account information. With Outlook Express, you can:

Importing information from another program

Tips for users of other programs

Importing contacts from a text file

Importing information from Outlook Express 5.0, 5.01, 5.02, or 5.0.3

About synchronizing with a Palm handheld

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Import information from another program

  1. On the File menu, click Import.
  2. Follow the instructions in the Import Assistant to import information from another program.

Tips for users of other programs

Importing contacts from a text file

Importing information from Outlook Express 5.0, 5.01, 5.02, or 5.0.3

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Tips for users of other programs

When you switch to Microsoft Outlook Express from another e-mail program, many features will seem familiar. However, there may be some differences in terminology.

Term in other programs Term in Outlook Express Description
Mail Action,
Conditions + Actions,
Filter
Rule Set of conditions and actions that you create to process and organize your messages.

Enclosure Attachment A file that you send or receive with a message.

Browser Message list A pane that displays a list of your messages.

Warning Error description A dialog box that displays information about a problem that has occurred.

Address Group,
Mailing List
Group A set of contacts and e-mail addresses that you create so you can quickly send messages to a set of contacts, rather than to each contact individually.

Article News message A message that you post to or receive from a newsgroup.

Importing information from another program

Importing contacts from a text file

 

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Import contacts from a text file

Make sure that the text file you want to import is either tab-delimited or comma-delimited.

  1. On the File menu, click Import.
  2. Follow the instructions in the Import Assistant.

    After you select the file you want to import, the Import window appears and displays data from the first contact record in the file. Fields that correspond to Microsoft Outlook Express fields appear opposite their counterparts in the left pane. Fields that do not correspond to Outlook Express fields appear in the right pane.

  3. To use mapping settings you previously saved, click the settings on the Map fields as pop-up menu.
  4. Correct mapping errors by dragging fields from the right pane to the left pane or within the left pane.
  5. To view other contact records and verify that the data is mapped correctly, click Next or Prev.
  6. When the data is mapped correctly, click Import.

Note If you replace a data field in the left pane with one from the right pane, the replaced data moves to the right pane. You can then assign that data to a different field. Fields that remain in the right pane after you click Import are not imported to Outlook Express.
Tip You can change how data is assigned to data fields in the left pane by dragging the fields to new positions. For example, if a home phone number appears next to Work Phone, drag the home phone number so that it appears next to Home Phone.

Importing information from another program

About the Address Book

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Export contacts

  1. On the File menu, click Export Contacts.
  2. Specify a name and location for the file.

Note The exported contacts file is a tab-delimited text file that you can modify.

Importing contacts from a text file

Importing information from another program

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Import information from Outlook Express 5.0, 5.01, 5.02, or 5.0.3

You might not need to import your information, depending on where the earlier version of Outlook Express stored it. To determine whether you need to import information, switch to the Finder, and then open the Outlook Express folder that contains the earlier version of the program. If the folder doesn't contain an Identities folder, the current version of Outlook Express will automatically find your information, so you don't need to import information.

If the folder contains an Identities folder, you should export your messages and contacts from the earlier version, and then import them to the current version of Outlook Express.


Tip If you haven't yet stored any information in the current version of Outlook Express, you can import your information more easily by moving the Identities folder from the earlier version's folder to the Documents:Microsoft User Data folder on your hard disk and replacing the Identities folder in that folder. If you do so, the current version of Outlook Express will automatically find your information the next time you start the program. You should then set up your mail account in the current version of Outlook Express.

To export your messages and contacts from the earlier version, and then import them to the current version, do the following:

  1. Start the earlier version of Outlook Express.
  2. Do the following:
  3. Quit the earlier version of Outlook Express.
  4. In the current version of Outlook Express, do the following:
  5. Verify that your information imported correctly.
  6. In the Finder, open the Outlook Express folder that contains the earlier version of the program, and then move the Identities folder from that folder to another location on your hard disk. By doing so, you ensure that you don't lose any messages or contact information that might have imported incorrectly.

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