WD95: Can't Access Outlook Contacts from Word 7.x

ID: Q162141

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Outlook 97

SYMPTOMS

You cannot access Microsoft Outlook 97 contacts from Microsoft Word for Windows 95. In Word, when you perform a mail merge, if you click the Use Address Book option, there is no option for "Outlook Address Book and Contacts." Additionally, although the Insert Address option is available (on the Standard toolbar or in the Envelopes And Labels dialog box), if you use it to select an Outlook contact, the result is blank.

CAUSE

Microsoft Word 7.0 does not have a converter that enables you to convert the Outlook Address Book data into a usable format. The contacts list in Outlook is part of the Outlook Address Book; therefore, contact information from Outlook is unavailable.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Use Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

In Word 97, you can access the Outlook Address Book. Note that some fields may be unavailable when you use this method. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q141874 Some Contact List Fields Not Available to Word

Method 2: Export the Outlook Contacts List

Export the contact list fields in a comma separated value (.csv) or a tab separated value (.tsv) text file. Then, use this file as the mail merge data source in Word 7.x.

To export the contacts from Outlook, use the following steps:

On the File menu, click Import And Export.

Select Export To A File and click Next.

Select the folder you want to export from (for example, select the Contacts folder), and click Next.

In the Create A File Of Type list, select either Comma Separated Values (Windows) or Tab Separated Values (Windows), and then click Next.

Type a name for the new file in the Save Exported Files As box, and click Next.

Click Map Custom Fields, select the default map, and then click OK.

Click Finish.

Once the file .csv or .tsv has been created, you can use it for a mail merge data source.

For more information about exporting a file from Outlook, click the Office Assistant in Outlook, type "how do I export a file," click Search, and then click to view "Export items to a file or to a personal folder file."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Outlook Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

MORE INFORMATION

When you attach an Address Book as the data source in a mail merge, Word converts the contact list and creates a temporary copy of the file in table format called ~~~_virtual_file_~~~.olk.

Note: The Outlook Contacts can only be accessed using Microsoft Word 97.

Additional query words: OL97 mailmerge printmerge


Keywords          : 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        :

Last Reviewed: April 22, 1999