Contacts sub folder vs Distribution List

[John A Hansen]

Dear Sir:

Version is Outlook 2007 on Windows XP.

I'm puzzled about the difference between the:
A: Contacts folder
B: Sub folders
C: Distribution list.

The situation is:
A: There are subfolders for different surnames that I'm doing
genealogy research etc. There are then 5-20 people ( email address)
for these particular surnames. That contact information is in the
main contacts

B: I also created a distribution list for each surname XXXX family
with the same email addresses in it.... selected "add to" and
added to the DL.

C: Updates of the email are needed from time to time.
(e-mail address removed) changes to
(e-mail address removed)

D: The email address in the DL changes OK but not the
subfolder labeled XX family.

I was wondering why that might be the case? Is there any reason
why the subfolders are useful in any manner or should subfolders
be used vs the DL? It appears the subfolder in contacts has it's own
database vs the central ( main) database used in the "Contacts" ?

I have read the help files and Microsoft tech support files and
don't see an answer regarding this item.

Any comments and suggestions are highly appreciated!

Best Regards
John A Hansen

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

The usual suggestion is to use Categories rather than what you have tried to
date.

Without knowing exactly what functionality you need, it's difficult to
suggest one solution over another. Can I ask you this:

Do you ever need to email ALL the Contacts the same email or make mailing
labels for ALL of them or will you always be working on small "groups" (to
use a generic term) of Contacts?


Regards

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook

www.judygleeson.com
www.deskdoctors.com

Are you sick of bad email practice? Get a copy of my paper "Implementing
Email Policy" from the Desk Doctors website.

 

[John A Hansen]

Judy:
Thanks for the so very prompt reply!!

No I don't ever mail "all contacts" the same email.

It is always "small groups" of sometimes as much as 100.

I looked at categories and don't see an easy way to designate
a method between
XXXX family JAH= 10 emails
XXXX family = 50 emails ( includes JAH)
XXXX all = 100 emails ( including family.... and that includes
JAH)
It works in either Sub Folders or DL by merely including each of the sub
groups
in the next larger grouping. But in DL then when one email address changes
and is
updated in the main contacts folder the address is also changed in the DL.

It does not appear to do so in the Sub Folder method ??

Thanks Again
Best Regards
John A Hansen

 

[Gordon]

Judy:
Thanks for the so very prompt reply!!

No I don't ever mail "all contacts" the same email.

It is always "small groups" of sometimes as much as 100.

I looked at categories and don't see an easy way to designate
a method between
XXXX family JAH= 10 emails
XXXX family = 50 emails ( includes JAH)
XXXX all = 100 emails ( including family.... and that includes
JAH)
It works in either Sub Folders or DL by merely including each of the sub
groups
in the next larger grouping. But in DL then when one email address changes
and is
updated in the main contacts folder the address is also changed in the DL.

So set up three different categories as in your designation above. The joy
of Categories is that you can assign several categories to each contact,
rather than individual contacts to several D/Ls...

 

[John A Hansen]

Gordon:

I am obviously not understanding how the categories work then.

I have over 100 Distribution lists ( Families)
So for Family X
a: I assign Red for Family X > All (Family + Rootsweb mailing list etc
b: I assign Blue for Family X > All ( Family only)
c: I assign Purple for Family X > JAH
Wouldn't I then need 300 colors ??

Best Regards
John A Hansen


So I repeat for Family Y

 

[Gordon]

Gordon:

I am obviously not understanding how the categories work then.

I have over 100 Distribution lists ( Families)
So for Family X
a: I assign Red for Family X > All (Family + Rootsweb mailing list
etc
b: I assign Blue for Family X > All ( Family only)
c: I assign Purple for Family X > JAH
Wouldn't I then need 300 colors ??

No. Open a Contact, say one that you want to be in Family Only. Click on
"Categorize" in the Options Section.
Click on All Categories. You can then add a Category called "Family".
Once you have added the Category, if you then view your Contacts in a List
view, you can select all the contacts you wish to be in the "Family"
category, right-click, and choose "Categorize". That will add the category
"Family" to all the contacts you selected. You then do the same procedure
for the other categories. The joy of Categories is that one Contact can be
in more than one Category.
Then, when you wish to send bulk emails - list your contacts by Category,
and just send the email to the category.

HTH