Create Distribution Lists Using Categories?

[Ted Okrzesik]

In my Outlook Contacts I have names that belong to several different
categories. Ideally I would like to be able to automatically create DLs
based on categories. In this way some contacts could belong to several DLs,
depending on their categories. I have found no "automatic" way to do this.
is there a way (or a better way) to handle this type of thing?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You can, but make sure you really want to. DL's are buggy, unreliable, and
featureless. I can't think of anything you can do with them that you can't
do with Categories or multiple Contact subfolders, both of which are more
reliable.

If you want to proceed:
Change the Contacts Folder View to by Category. Right click and drag the
Category required to a newly created Contacts subfolder then choose Copy.
Make sure the new subfolder has been enabled as an email address book by
right clicking on it and choosing Properties > Outlook Address Book Tab >
and check the box to enable as email address book. Create your new
Distribution List and make sure the Show Names drop down field points to
this new subfolder then shift select all the contacts and voila.

 

[Ted Okrzesik]

Thanks Russ, I agree that DLs aren't necessarily the way to go. I figured
out the "by Category" view, that almost gets me where I need to be. The
problem I have with copying the names to a new folder is just that - new
copies of the cards are created that are not linked to the original cards.
So as my list grows and cards are modified I'd have to re-copy the names to
the folder every time I want to send an e-mail to the category list right?
Ideally I should be able to select a sorted category from the "by Category"
list and send an e-mail using this info, without creating DLs and without
having to copy to a new folder, but I cannot figure out a way to do this.
Seems silly to me that Outlook doesn't provide what seems to me to such an
"obvious" basic functionality.

Another option might be to use some 3rd party software to manage and select
the cards, and then pass the selected ones to Outlook fo mailing. If anyone
knows of something that would help me do this I'd be grateful.

Thanks - Ted

You can, but make sure you really want to. DL's are buggy, unreliable, and
featureless. I can't think of anything you can do with them that you can't
do with Categories or multiple Contact subfolders, both of which are more
reliable.

If you want to proceed:
Change the Contacts Folder View to by Category. Right click and drag the
Category required to a newly created Contacts subfolder then choose Copy.
Make sure the new subfolder has been enabled as an email address book by
right clicking on it and choosing Properties > Outlook Address Book Tab >
and check the box to enable as email address book. Create your new
Distribution List and make sure the Show Names drop down field points to
this new subfolder then shift select all the contacts and voila.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

In my Outlook Contacts I have names that belong to several different
categories. Ideally I would like to be able to automatically create DLs
based on categories. In this way some contacts could belong to several DLs,
depending on their categories. I have found no "automatic" way to do this.
is there a way (or a better way) to handle this type of thing?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I don't understand why you think you need to use both categories and
separate Contact subfolders. The former should do what you want and allow
you to keep only one copy of each Contact. Only the latter would put you in
a situation where you have multiple copies of Contacts that do not remain in
synch.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks Russ, I agree that DLs aren't necessarily the way to go. I figured
out the "by Category" view, that almost gets me where I need to be. The
problem I have with copying the names to a new folder is just that - new
copies of the cards are created that are not linked to the original cards.
So as my list grows and cards are modified I'd have to re-copy the names to
the folder every time I want to send an e-mail to the category list right?
Ideally I should be able to select a sorted category from the "by Category"
list and send an e-mail using this info, without creating DLs and without
having to copy to a new folder, but I cannot figure out a way to do this.
Seems silly to me that Outlook doesn't provide what seems to me to such an
"obvious" basic functionality.

Another option might be to use some 3rd party software to manage and select
the cards, and then pass the selected ones to Outlook fo mailing. If anyone
knows of something that would help me do this I'd be grateful.

Thanks - Ted

You can, but make sure you really want to. DL's are buggy, unreliable, and
featureless. I can't think of anything you can do with them that you can't
do with Categories or multiple Contact subfolders, both of which are more
reliable.

If you want to proceed:
Change the Contacts Folder View to by Category. Right click and drag the
Category required to a newly created Contacts subfolder then choose Copy.
Make sure the new subfolder has been enabled as an email address book by
right clicking on it and choosing Properties > Outlook Address Book Tab

and check the box to enable as email address book. Create your new
Distribution List and make sure the Show Names drop down field points to
this new subfolder then shift select all the contacts and voila.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

In my Outlook Contacts I have names that belong to several different
categories. Ideally I would like to be able to automatically create DLs
based on categories. In this way some contacts could belong to

several
DLs,

depending on their categories. I have found no "automatic" way to do this.
is there a way (or a better way) to handle this type of thing?

 

[Ted Okrzesik]

Thanks for trying to understand the problem, sorry if I'm not explaining it
well. Let me try again: I DON'T want to use DLs and I DON'T want to create
any new Contacts folders. So can you tell me how, just using my "by
categories" view of my existing Contacts folder, I can send an e-mail to all
the contacts in a single category without doing the DL or copy-to-folder
thing? I just don't get this. I can't "highlight" the names in the list
and create a new mail message using the highlighted names; and if I start
with a new message I can't select just the names I want (unless they are in
a separate folder I guess).

Example: Say I have 1000 contacts and 200 of them fall into the category
"clients". Can you tell me step by step how to send an e-mail to the 200
"clients" without creating a DL or copying them into a new folder first?
This is what's drtiving me nuts here.

I'm sure (at least I hope) I'm missing something obvious here.

Thanks again - Ted

I don't understand why you think you need to use both categories and
separate Contact subfolders. The former should do what you want and allow
you to keep only one copy of each Contact. Only the latter would put you in
a situation where you have multiple copies of Contacts that do not remain in
synch.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks Russ, I agree that DLs aren't necessarily the way to go. I figured
out the "by Category" view, that almost gets me where I need to be. The
problem I have with copying the names to a new folder is just that - new
copies of the cards are created that are not linked to the original cards.
So as my list grows and cards are modified I'd have to re-copy the names to
the folder every time I want to send an e-mail to the category list right?
Ideally I should be able to select a sorted category from the "by Category"
list and send an e-mail using this info, without creating DLs and without
having to copy to a new folder, but I cannot figure out a way to do this.
Seems silly to me that Outlook doesn't provide what seems to me to such an
"obvious" basic functionality.

Another option might be to use some 3rd party software to manage and select
the cards, and then pass the selected ones to Outlook fo mailing. If anyone
knows of something that would help me do this I'd be grateful.

Thanks - Ted

You can, but make sure you really want to. DL's are buggy, unreliable, and
featureless. I can't think of anything you can do with them that you can't
do with Categories or multiple Contact subfolders, both of which are more
reliable.

If you want to proceed:
Change the Contacts Folder View to by Category. Right click and drag the
Category required to a newly created Contacts subfolder then choose Copy.
Make sure the new subfolder has been enabled as an email address book by
right clicking on it and choosing Properties > Outlook Address Book

Tab

and check the box to enable as email address book. Create your new
Distribution List and make sure the Show Names drop down field points to
this new subfolder then shift select all the contacts and voila.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
In my Outlook Contacts I have names that belong to several different
categories. Ideally I would like to be able to automatically create DLs
based on categories. In this way some contacts could belong to several
DLs,
depending on their categories. I have found no "automatic" way to do
this.
is there a way (or a better way) to handle this type of thing?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Highlight the category header
Actions > New Message to Contact

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I don't understand why you think you need to use both categories and
separate Contact subfolders. The former should do what you want and allow
you to keep only one copy of each Contact. Only the latter would put you in
a situation where you have multiple copies of Contacts that do not remain in
synch.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks Russ, I agree that DLs aren't necessarily the way to go. I figured
out the "by Category" view, that almost gets me where I need to be. The
problem I have with copying the names to a new folder is just that - new
copies of the cards are created that are not linked to the original cards.
So as my list grows and cards are modified I'd have to re-copy the names to
the folder every time I want to send an e-mail to the category list right?
Ideally I should be able to select a sorted category from the "by Category"
list and send an e-mail using this info, without creating DLs and without
having to copy to a new folder, but I cannot figure out a way to do this.
Seems silly to me that Outlook doesn't provide what seems to me to such an
"obvious" basic functionality.

Another option might be to use some 3rd party software to manage and select
the cards, and then pass the selected ones to Outlook fo mailing. If anyone
knows of something that would help me do this I'd be grateful.

Thanks - Ted

You can, but make sure you really want to. DL's are buggy, unreliable, and
featureless. I can't think of anything you can do with them that you can't
do with Categories or multiple Contact subfolders, both of which are more
reliable.

If you want to proceed:
Change the Contacts Folder View to by Category. Right click and drag the
Category required to a newly created Contacts subfolder then choose Copy.
Make sure the new subfolder has been enabled as an email address book by
right clicking on it and choosing Properties > Outlook Address Book

Tab

and check the box to enable as email address book. Create your new
Distribution List and make sure the Show Names drop down field points to
this new subfolder then shift select all the contacts and voila.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
In my Outlook Contacts I have names that belong to several different
categories. Ideally I would like to be able to automatically create DLs
based on categories. In this way some contacts could belong to several
DLs,
depending on their categories. I have found no "automatic" way to do
this.
is there a way (or a better way) to handle this type of thing?