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:

Import from an application You can import information, such as mail, contacts, and rules, directly from Qualcomm Eudora (any version), Netscape Communicator 4.0 or later, Claris Emailer 2.0v3, and previous versions of Outlook Express.
Import contacts from a text file You can import contact information from a text file that was exported from any program, including spreadsheet and database programs. The text file must be exported in tab-delimited or comma-delimited format. (In such files, either a tab or a comma indicates the end of one data entry and the beginning of the next.) Consult the documentation for the source program to learn how to export contacts to a text file.
Import mail from a text file You can import mail from a text file in two ways. If you save a message from Outlook Express to your desktop, you can import the message to your Outlook Express Inbox.
You can also import messages saved as an MBOX format text file. Some programs allow you to export your e-mail as this type of file, which stores many messages in a single text file. When you import an MBOX format text file to Outlook Express, the imported messages appear in your Inbox. Consult the documentation for the source program to learn how to export messages as an MBOX format text file.

Importing information from another program

Tips for users of other programs

Importing contacts from a text file

About synchronizing with a Palm organizer

Import information from another program

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


	If you are importing from Netscape Communicator, you can speed up the process. Before you import, select each of your mail folders in Communicator, and then click Compress Folder on the File menu.

Tips for users of other programs

Importing contacts from a text file

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

Import contacts from a text file

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

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


	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.
	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

Export contacts

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


	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