Contact Groups

[Andrew Aitchison]

Hi all - I am using Vista and Outlook 2007.

I am trying to organize my contacts by creating Contact Groups and moving
individual contacts into their appropriate group.

1. I select 'Contacts' in the Navigation Pane by clicking on it
2. I click on 'Add New Group' and get a Group Bar (?) titled 'New Group'
with that name highlighted
3. I rename that group to 'Family' and press enter
4. At this point:
a. I cannot open the group to add contacts
b. I cannot drag an existing contact into the group
c. I cannot do anything at all with this group except for those
actions offered in it's context menu; ie, I can Rename it, Remove it, Move
it Up, Move it Down, etc. I just can't get any contacts into it.

Can anyone suggest where I am going wrong?

Thanks

 

[Gordon]

Hi all - I am using Vista and Outlook 2007.

I am trying to organize my contacts by creating Contact Groups and moving
individual contacts into their appropriate group.

Presumably you are talking about Distribution Lists - Outlook doesn't use
"groups" but WINDOWS MAIL does.

1. I select 'Contacts' in the Navigation Pane by clicking on it
2. I click on 'Add New Group' and get a Group Bar (?) titled 'New Group'
with that name highlighted

See above - please be precise with your terminology - we cannot see your
computer.

3. I rename that group to 'Family' and press enter
4. At this point:
a. I cannot open the group to add contacts
b. I cannot drag an existing contact into the group
c. I cannot do anything at all with this group except for those
actions offered in it's context menu; ie, I can Rename it, Remove it, Move
it Up, Move it Down, etc. I just can't get any contacts into it.

Can anyone suggest where I am going wrong?

Looks like you are using Windows Mail and not Outlook....

 

[Andrew Aitchison]

Hi Gordon - I am using Outlook 2007. All I have listed is what I get I click
contacts in the Navigation Pane and there is an option to 'Add New Group' I
click it and I can add a group. Etc as per the steps I have listed.

I do use Windows mail but only for posting to and reading newsgroups.

Thanks

 

[Gordon]

Hi Gordon - I am using Outlook 2007. All I have listed is what I get I
click contacts in the Navigation Pane and there is an option to 'Add New
Group' I click it and I can add a group. Etc as per the steps I have
listed.

I see. "Groups" is NOTHING to do with a distribution list.
Click on "New" at the top and choose Distribution List.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I am trying to organize my contacts by creating Contact Groups and
moving individual contacts into their appropriate group.

That's not what the Navigation Pane "groups" are for. They are to hold
collections of _folders_, not collections of items.

 

[Michael Bauer [MVP - Outlook]]

Andrew, additionally to Brian, you might assign categories to your contacts.
Then switch to a view by categories. Benifit is, you still have all of your
contacts only once - no double entries.

--
Best regards
Michael Bauer - MVP Outlook
Use Outlook Categories? This is Your Tool:
<http://www.vboffice.net/product.html?id=2006063&cmd=detail&lang=en&pub=6>

Am Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:15:37 -0400 schrieb Andrew Aitchison:

 

[Andrew Aitchison]

Thanks all for your input - it is appreciated. Looks like I have some more
reading up to do. Michael - I'll give categories a try.

Again - thanks all.

Andrew Aitchison

 

[Raas]

Didn't answer your question did they? I have the same needs, and exactly the
same problem, and there isn't a single MVP out there that seems to understand
that I don't want distribution lists in one grouping, or categories for that
matter. I want completly new groups, and the entries won't be duplicated
from one group to another.

I guess Microsoft just gave us another 'nothing' to work with if the MVPs
can't understand our request and give some help.

Oh, well

 

[Gordon]

Didn't answer your question did they? I have the same needs, and exactly
the
same problem, and there isn't a single MVP out there that seems to
understand
that I don't want distribution lists in one grouping, or categories for
that
matter. I want completly new groups, and the entries won't be duplicated
from one group to another.

I guess Microsoft just gave us another 'nothing' to work with if the MVPs
can't understand our request and give some help.

No YOU misunderstand what a Group is. It's NOTHING to do with a list of
contacts.
From Outlook Help, which you seem unable to look at:
Add a shortcut to a shortcut group
1.. On the Go menu, click Shortcuts.
2.. In the Shortcuts pane, in the Navigation Pane, click Add New Shortcut.
3.. In the Add to Navigation Pane dialog box, click the folder that you
want to create a shortcut for, and then click OK.
4.. New shortcuts are added to the first shortcut group on the list. If
you want the shortcut to be in another group, click the shortcut that you
added, and drag it to the shortcut group that you want.

 

[Raas]

Hey Andrew, if you're still monitoring this, I got it to work.

Set up your new group with its name. (family)
Select the new group.
Select the down arrow next to "New" and click on 'folder'.
This should create a new folder in "family". If it creates in "My Contacts"
then drag it down to "Family" and it will set up under that group.
Select the "Family" folder.
Click on 'New', and enter your contact information.

It is now a seperate GROUP, not a distribution list, not a category, but a
seperate group that you can deal with as you would the original group that
everyone has been trying to hoist on you.

It works great!

Hope you get this and that it helps.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Do not multipost.
Do not post inaccurate information.
Your question was answered quickly and accurately in the group in which you
first posted. Multi-posts will be ignored (unless of course you post
inaccurate information therein). Most savvy Outlook users quickly figure out
what Navigation Pane Groups really are and how to use them.
The term "group" has no specific meaning in Outlook. It can mean anything.
It is your job to clarify what you mean by it when you post a question.

 

[Michael Bauer [MVP - Outlook]]

Congrats, you got it! So, you created something that groups folders in the
nav pane. (It doesn't matter whether you create new folders or move existing
ones into it.)

You might look back and see that Brian told exactly that almost two weeks
ago.

--
Best regards
Michael Bauer - MVP Outlook
Outlook Categories? Category Manager Is Your Tool:
<http://www.vboffice.net/product.html?pub=6&lang=en>


Am Mon, 7 Apr 2008 14:22:01 -0700 schrieb Raas:

 

[Brian Tillman]

Didn't answer your question did they? I have the same needs, and
exactly the same problem, and there isn't a single MVP out there that
seems to understand that I don't want distribution lists in one
grouping, or categories for that matter. I want completly new
groups, and the entries won't be duplicated from one group to another.

Then you'll have to tell us your definition of "group".

 

[drdonu]

Hey Andrew, if you're still monitoring this, I got it to work.

Set up your new group with its name. (family)
Select the new group.
Select the down arrow next to "New" and click on 'folder'.
This should create a new folder in "family".  If it creates in "My Contacts"
then drag it down to "Family" and it will set up under that group.
Select the "Family" folder.
Click on 'New', and enter your contact information.  

It is now a seperate GROUP, not a distribution list, not a category, but a
seperate group that you can deal with as you would the original group that
everyone has been trying to hoist on you.

It works great!

Hope you get this and that it helps.

Rass - Way to go! I was having the same issue with my Outlook as well.
Thank you!

On a side note - to the Outlook MVP's who have tied into this thread;
a small observation by just someone 'passing by' reading threads...
you all seem to have an attitude, which apparently got in your way of
assisting other less knowledgeable people out in the world.

Just my two cents, but if you carry the 'MVP' branding on your tag...
you should keep your ears and minds open and mouths shut until you
fully understand what someone is trying to tell you. I know it's not
easy, but it sure does go a long way in providing excellent customer
service! Raas was dead on accurate in her solution; the techno babble,
and my personal favorite: "well... most SAVVY Outlook users..."
doesn't cut mustard... sorry.

Raas listened and was able to figure out a solution - a thumbs up
effort in this crazy computer world!! I would agree that MS didn't do
such a great job on this particular feature... perhaps the next
service pack or version will make this particular task a bit more
intuitive - they do with the majority of their other fine products!
<smile>

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Wrong. Actually, Raas multiposted here. His first post in another group was
answered immediately and correctly. He then multiposted to this old thread
on which I cannot comment. It has expired and he did not quote it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hey Andrew, if you're still monitoring this, I got it to work.

Set up your new group with its name. (family)
Select the new group.
Select the down arrow next to "New" and click on 'folder'.
This should create a new folder in "family". If it creates in "My
Contacts"
then drag it down to "Family" and it will set up under that group.
Select the "Family" folder.
Click on 'New', and enter your contact information.

It is now a seperate GROUP, not a distribution list, not a category, but a
seperate group that you can deal with as you would the original group that
everyone has been trying to hoist on you.

It works great!

Hope you get this and that it helps.

Rass - Way to go! I was having the same issue with my Outlook as well.
Thank you!

On a side note - to the Outlook MVP's who have tied into this thread;
a small observation by just someone 'passing by' reading threads...
you all seem to have an attitude, which apparently got in your way of
assisting other less knowledgeable people out in the world.

Just my two cents, but if you carry the 'MVP' branding on your tag...
you should keep your ears and minds open and mouths shut until you
fully understand what someone is trying to tell you. I know it's not
easy, but it sure does go a long way in providing excellent customer
service! Raas was dead on accurate in her solution; the techno babble,
and my personal favorite: "well... most SAVVY Outlook users..."
doesn't cut mustard... sorry.

Raas listened and was able to figure out a solution - a thumbs up
effort in this crazy computer world!! I would agree that MS didn't do
such a great job on this particular feature... perhaps the next
service pack or version will make this particular task a bit more
intuitive - they do with the majority of their other fine products!
<smile>