OL98: Imported Phone Numbers and Postal Codes Have .000 Appended

• Microsoft Outlook 98

SYMPTOMS

When you import data containing phone numbers or postal (zip) codes from other programs, such as Microsoft Access or Microsoft Excel, the numbers may be displayed with ".000" appended to the end. The numbers will not contain parentheses or hyphens, and in some cases the number may be completely different from the number in the program you imported from.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because Outlook does not recognize the numbers being imported as phone numbers or postal codes, even though they look correct when viewed in the program they are imported from. This happens when the number is imported from a numeric-type field. For example, you can type a number such as 5551234567 in Excel and then apply the "Phone Number" format. The number displays as (555)123-4567 in Excel. When this number is imported into Outlook, it is imported as 5551234567 instead of (555)123- 4567. If a phone number is typed into Excel with the parentheses and hyphens, Outlook will import it as a phone number.

RESOLUTION

If the number is typed into the original program with the parentheses and hyphens, Outlook will import it correctly. If you are importing a large amount of data and it is not practical to manually add the parentheses and hyphens, try exporting the data from the original program as a Comma Separated Value (.csv) file. Most programs such as Access and Excel will include the parentheses and hyphens as part of the text file, thus making it possible for Outlook to properly import the data.

For information on exporting data from your original program as a .csv file, consult the documentation supplied with that program.

Additional query words: 98 ODBC DBASE FOXPRO

Keywords          : 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb 

Last Reviewed: July 29, 1999