How to export then import a Contact Group

Hello....i would like to know how to export a contact group created by one user on their pc running outlook 2010, and import that contact group (including all of the names and email addresses) into another person's outlook on their own pc.  I have had the owner of the contact group send it to the other pc as an attachment, but can not manage to create/copy that contact group onto the second pc's outlook b/c the lists of email addresses are not individually listed in their existing contact list or address book.

tnx....

January 18th, 2011 9:57pm

I am not sure I understood the Contact group you are referring to. I also don't think the following is the best option. With those said, you may try the following:

Create a new Outlook Data File (.PST) on the first machine.

Copy all the Contacts to the PST and send the PST to the second machine.

Open the PST on the second machine and copy the Contacts to the Contacts folder.

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January 19th, 2011 4:58am

Hi,

Export from the first machine running outlook 2010

  1. Open Outlook on the computer containing the desired contacts and click the "File" tab.

  2. Click "Options" then click "Advanced" to display advanced Outlook options.

  3. Click the "Export" button, then select "Export to a file" and click "Next."

  4. Select "CommaSeparatedValues (Windows)" as the file type and click "Next."

  5. Select the Contacts folder when prompted, then click "Next." This will export all individual contacts and contact groups within the folder.

  6. Click "Browse" and select where to save the export file. The destination location should be on a removable storage device such as a USB flash drive to allow you to import the file on the other computer.

  7. Type a name for the file in the file name box and click "OK."

  8. Click "Next" when prompted and then click "Finish."

Import to the second machine

  1. Open Outlook on the computer you want to import the contacts to and click the "File" tab.

  2. Click "Open" and then "Import."

  3. Select "Import from another program or file" and then click "Next."

  4. Select "CommaSeparatedValues (Windows)" when prompted to select the file type to import and then click "Next."

  5. Select "Browse" to locate and choose the export file and then click "OK."

  6. Select the desired import options and click "Next." The first option, "Replace Duplicates with Items Imported," allows the import process to overwrite existing contact information to prevent duplicate contact creation. The second option, "Allow Duplicates to be Created," retains existing contact information and creates duplicate contact entries with the imported data. The third option, "Do Not Import Duplicate Items," retains existing contact information. These options only are relevant if duplicate contacts already exist in Outlook on the computer running the import.

  7. Click the Contacts folder when prompted to select the destination folder. Click "Next," followed by "Finish."

Hope that helps.

January 19th, 2011 5:01am

Tnx for the replies.  I'm afraid creating/importing a new .pst file doesn't help me.

Jennifer, your method is what I would normally want to do to transfer all contacts, but I actually don't want to import all of the contacts (individual and group) from the first pc/persons outlook to the second pc/persons outlook.  I really just want to import (or be able to use) one contact group from the first pc/persons outlook to the second pc/persons outlook.  I'm not sure if this is possible. 

tnx...kevin

  • Proposed as answer by ddahnsds Monday, September 26, 2011 2:58 PM
  • Unproposed as answer by ddahnsds Monday, September 26, 2011 2:58 PM
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January 19th, 2011 3:45pm

Tnx for the replies.  I'm afraid creating/importing a new .pst file doesn't help me.

Jennifer, your method is what I would normally want to do to transfer all contacts, but I actually don't want to import all of the contacts (individual and group) from the first pc/persons outlook to the second pc/persons outlook.  I really just want to import (or be able to use) one contact group from the first pc/persons outlook to the second pc/persons outlook.  I'm not sure if this is possible. 

tnx...kevin

  • Proposed as answer by ddahnsds Monday, September 26, 2011 2:58 PM
  • Unproposed as answer by ddahnsds Monday, September 26, 2011 2:58 PM
January 19th, 2011 3:45pm

 1.    Open the e-mail containing the Contact Group.

 2.    In Outlook, open the Contacts view.

 3.    Drag the Contact Group attachment from the e-mail message onto the desired Contacts folder. Outlook automatically creates the contact entries for you. Simple.

  • Proposed as answer by Annie Mao Wednesday, April 18, 2012 9:38 PM
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September 26th, 2011 3:00pm

 1.    Open the e-mail containing the Contact Group.

 2.    In Outlook, open the Contacts view.

 3.    Drag the Contact Group attachment from the e-mail message onto the desired Contacts folder. Outlook automatically creates the contact entries for you. Simple.

  • Proposed as answer by Annie Mao Wednesday, April 18, 2012 9:38 PM
September 26th, 2011 3:00pm

The way is really simple but typcial jumble by Microsoft:

1.  From original machine (1) save contacts group and send as an attachment to recieving machine (2) in .msg format

2.  From recieving machine, open attachment then select "File"

3.  Under the "Info" option on the left list; select "Move To Folder" then "Copy to Folder" from its sub-menu

4.  Select where you want to save the group (typcially in the "Contacts" folder) and click, "OK"

5.  Select "Save & Close" and you now have imported the Contact Group successfully.

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May 23rd, 2012 5:52pm

ddahnds solution worked for me. Ahhhh!


  • Edited by Cathy Cap10 Monday, August 06, 2012 12:37 PM
August 6th, 2012 12:36pm

ddahnds solution worked for me. Ahhhh!


  • Edited by Cathy Cap10 Monday, August 06, 2012 12:37 PM
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August 6th, 2012 12:36pm

Jennifer,

I followed your steps, but only the contacts in the folder were exported - the test group I added wasn't exported.  Are you sure this works for exporting Outlook personal groups?

Will Martin

August 16th, 2012 7:48pm

We just did a migration from Exchange on-premise to Rackspace. NONE of the Distribution Lists transferred over.

I was rather upset about it ....

My original method was to simply:

    • Go back to the original user's exchange account
    • Export the contacts to a pst file (this retains the DLs in the contact list)
    • Place the pst onto the user's desktop
    • Ask the user "Did you muck with any of your existing contacts?" (Hoping for the answer "no")
    • Delete their existing contacts from the Rackspace account
    • Import the Contacts from the PST file on their desktop

HOWEVER

I tried a lot of this "forward group" yada yada yada .... JUNK!!!!! Doesn't work AT ALL....

Here's what I found to work ....

Go through steps 1-3, above, and THEN do the following:

  1. Open the PST file within Outlook
  2. Go to the Contacts for the PST file you opened
  3. Change the View to List View
  4. There's a little icon, paper icon ... Right Click on it and choose to arrange by Location ....
  5. Click on the little icon to sort by icon ... This places all your distribution lists "together" :)
  6. Select all the distribution lists
  7. Either Copy and Paste into the NEW Destination Contacts list, i.e., the Rackspace Account OR Simply drag them

AND THAT'S how you do it.....

Shame on Microsoft..... You have the option of sending a contact group but, you can't import it easily .....

Eeeeegads!

Tim

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August 30th, 2012 10:47pm

 1.    Open the e-mail containing the Contact Group.

 2.    In Outlook, open the Contacts view.

 3.    Drag the Contact Group attachment from the e-mail message onto the desired Contacts folder. Outlook automatically creates the contact entries for you. Simple.

I really want this to be the answer, but when drag the Contact Group to the Contacts folder it DOES put the Contact Group in there, but Outlook does NOT automatically create the contact entries (the members) from the Contact Group.  How do you make that happen?
March 29th, 2013 5:39am

I would like this answer also as I have the same issue with receiving groups from co-workers.
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June 21st, 2013 6:04pm

The entries are not created just by adding a contact group to the contacts folder. You can make a list of the addresses by clicking Forward > in internet format. Clean up the header and Import into Outlook if you need contacts.
June 21st, 2013 6:48pm

Diane -

I am trying to advise a client with this same issue.  He wants to send a Contact List to another colleague.  The list itself (using your instructions above to click Forward > in internet format) shows only the Name of the entry and the email address.  None of the other contact information is included.  This user is transitioning to a new position and would like to move some (but not all) of his 2000+ contacts to the person taking over his position.  This information would include not just email addres, but phone number, street address, title, etc.  Do you have any recommendations?  Thank you.

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August 28th, 2013 7:28pm

None of the other contact information is included.  This user is transitioning to a new position and would like to move some (but not all) of his 2000+ contacts to the person taking over his position.  This information would include not just email addres, but phone number, street address, title, etc.  Do you have any recommendations?  Thank you.

None of the other info is included since Contact Groups/Distribution Lists do not include that info. Not the way to accomplish intended purpose.

If this user wants to provide "selective" contacts from his list of 2000+ contacts, probably the quickest way to do that would be to export the contact folder to a PST file and forward the PST file to the other person who would then be able to copy that info to whereever required. The PST2PST export process provides one function that is not available in any other export process and that's the "filter" function which "hopefully" might make it easier to select which contacts to export. Otherwise the alternative would be to create a new PST file with a new contact folder and copy the desired contacts to the newly created PST file/contact folder and send it to the other person.

August 29th, 2013 12:43am

I had Microsoft Support.   They told me the same thing.

I got the names etc... But NO Groups.

At this point, I am manually creating them.

That was difficult ... just finding where to create a contact group.

looking for a better way

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March 27th, 2014 3:52am

Exporting a contacts folder to a pst would include the contact groups - you have to export to a pst, not a CSV.  If you want to include only the contacts in the contact group, i have a macro that will add a category to the each contact in the group - then you can copy the contacts in that category to a pst or even export them to a CSV. You can copy the contact group too or the recipient can add the contacts to a new group easily enough as they are categorized with the group name.

http://www.slipstick.com/developer/add-category-contact-contact-group-dl/

March 27th, 2014 4:02am

One problem with this is that some corporations have blocked access to PSTs.  Makes it a bit harder to import the groups ...
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March 27th, 2014 11:46am

 1.    Open the e-mail containing the Contact Group.

 2.    In Outlook, open the Contacts view.

 3.    Drag the Contact Group attachment from the e-mail message onto the desired Contacts folder. Outlook automatically creates the contact entries for you. Simple.

This method worked for me in Outlook 2010.  Maybe a few additional details would make this clearer:

  1. From the File tab, open the Address Book.
  2. Find the Contact Group you would like to share with another Outlook user.
  3. Double click the Contact Group name to open.
  4. Under the Contact Group tab, click Forward Group, and select As an Outlook Contact.
  5. This will open a new message with the Contact Group attached.
  6. Address and send the message to the desired recipient.
  7. In the recipient's e-mail open the message containing the forwarded Contact Group.
  8. Make sure Contacts is visible in the Navigation Pane while the message is open.
  9. Drag the Contact Group attachment from the message to the Contacts.
  10. Compose a new message
  11. Select the To: field to use the new Contact Group.
  12. You can type the name of the Contact Group in the Search box.  
  13. If the group does not appear, make sure you are searching in the correct address book.  For example our e-mail defaults to the Global Address List, but the new Contact Group is found in Contacts instead.
  14. Select the new Contact Group.  Expand the group by clicking on the plus sign before the group name.  This will allow you to confirm the group members for your first message.
  15. From now on, Outlook should remember your Contact List name, and auto-populate the To: field when you begin typing it.

Hope this helps!  Best,

Ben

April 17th, 2014 9:14pm

This works, but if I want to do it for 20 or so groups, it's not as simple as an export/import process would be.  Maybe next version of Outlook ...
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April 18th, 2014 12:01pm

Brilliant! This is the first solution that worked for migration of Contact Groups(Distribution Lists) from old Outlook2010 to Outlook2013. I suspect it works for moving Contact Groups between any versions of Outlook.

Well done Tim.

May 3rd, 2014 6:22am

This worked great! Thanks.
  • Marked as answer by ksdst1 Monday, November 10, 2014 7:07 PM
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September 19th, 2014 11:45pm

This worked great! Thanks.
  • Marked as answer by ksdst1 Monday, November 10, 2014 7:07 PM
September 19th, 2014 11:45pm

Excellent! Thanks.
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June 7th, 2015 4:48am

What was it that worked? The "This worked great" posting couldn't have been it.  Can someone actually mark the actual answer (or answers)?
June 8th, 2015 8:07am

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