How do I search the contact notes field?

[Greg S]

I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts, but the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to the list of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

 

[Greg S]

Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it 50-100
times a day.

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts, but the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to the list of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it 50-100
times a day.

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts, but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to the list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Or categorize the contacts to match your search criteria.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] asked:

| Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
| If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
| better place to store information than the Notes field.
|| Outlook 2007.
||
|| Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
|| 50-100 times a day.
||
||
||
|| "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
||
||| Post Outlook version.
||| Use Advanced Find.
|||
||| --
||| Russ Valentine
||| [MVP-Outlook]
||| |||| I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
|||| but the
|||| contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
|||| search criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field
|||| to the list of
|||| indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Tom Fitzgibbon]

Or categorize the contacts to match your search criteria.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] asked:

| Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
| If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
| better place to store information than the Notes field.
|| Outlook 2007.
||
|| Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
|| 50-100 times a day.
||
||
||
|| "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
||
||| Post Outlook version.
||| Use Advanced Find.
|||
||| --
||| Russ Valentine
||| [MVP-Outlook]
||||||| I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
|||| but the
|||| contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
|||| search criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field
|||| to the list of
|||| indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

You are indicating the newest version of Outlook 2007 WILL NOT search
the Notes field? WTF as my teenaged son would say. And your
suggestion is "place the information somewhere else besides Notes"?
Like some other contact management software? Search is THE most
critical part of a contacts database.

At this point I am syncing to my PDA and searching my contacts on
Mobile 6 on the PDA. Can this be the way Microsoft wants it's
applications to NOT work?

What happened to making products people want to buy?

Tom Fitzgibbon | Multidata | 212-967-6700 x8120

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Complaining to me or this group won't help anything. I didn't create this
mess. I'm only telling you the way it is.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Or categorize the contacts to match your search criteria.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] asked:

| Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
| If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
| better place to store information than the Notes field.
|| Outlook 2007.
||
|| Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
|| 50-100 times a day.
||
||
||
|| "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
||
||| Post Outlook version.
||| Use Advanced Find.
|||
||| --
||| Russ Valentine
||| [MVP-Outlook]
||||||| I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
|||| but the
|||| contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
|||| search criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field
|||| to the list of
|||| indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

You are indicating the newest version of Outlook 2007 WILL NOT search
the Notes field? WTF as my teenaged son would say. And your
suggestion is "place the information somewhere else besides Notes"?
Like some other contact management software? Search is THE most
critical part of a contacts database.

At this point I am syncing to my PDA and searching my contacts on
Mobile 6 on the PDA. Can this be the way Microsoft wants it's
applications to NOT work?

What happened to making products people want to buy?

Tom Fitzgibbon | Multidata | 212-967-6700 x8120

 

[Tom Fitzgibbon]

Complaining to me or this group won't help anything. I didn't create this
mess. I'm only telling you the way it is.
--
Russ Valentine

Or categorize the contacts to match your search criteria.
--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]
Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.
After furious head scratching, Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] asked:
| Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
| If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
| better place to store information than the Notes field.
|| Outlook 2007.
||
|| Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
|| 50-100 times a day.
||
||
||
|| "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
||
||| Post Outlook version.
||| Use Advanced Find.
|||
||| --
||| Russ Valentine
||| [MVP-Outlook]
||||||| I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
|||| but the
|||| contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
|||| search criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field
|||| to the list of
|||| indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

You are indicating the newest version of Outlook 2007 WILL NOT search
the Notes field? WTF as my teenaged son would say. And your
suggestion is "place the information somewhere else besides Notes"?
Like some other contact management software? Search is THE most
critical part of a contacts database.

At this point I am syncing to my PDA and searching my contacts on
Mobile 6 on the PDA. Can this be the way Microsoft wants it's
applications to NOT work?

What happened to making products people want to buy?

TomFitzgibbon| Multidata | 212-967-6700 x8120- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Russ -

I tried to make my rant Microsoft directed, sorry. We all realize you
and the group are not the problem. But you and I are quite often in
the position of explaining that Microsoft just didn't get it right.
Perhaps we should stop explaining and start using alternatives.- Tom

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The best way to contact Microsoft is to open a support incident. Microsoft
does not read these groups.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Complaining to me or this group won't help anything. I didn't create this
mess. I'm only telling you the way it is.
--
Russ Valentine

Or categorize the contacts to match your search criteria.

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] asked:

| Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
| If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider
a
| better place to store information than the Notes field.
|| Outlook 2007.
||
|| Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
|| 50-100 times a day.
||
||
||
|| "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:
||
||| Post Outlook version.
||| Use Advanced Find.
|||
||| --
||| Russ Valentine
||| [MVP-Outlook]
||||||| I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
|||| but the
|||| contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
|||| search criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes
field
|||| to the list of
|||| indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

You are indicating the newest version of Outlook 2007 WILL NOT search
the Notes field? WTF as my teenaged son would say. And your
suggestion is "place the information somewhere else besides Notes"?
Like some other contact management software? Search is THE most
critical part of a contacts database.

At this point I am syncing to my PDA and searching my contacts on
Mobile 6 on the PDA. Can this be the way Microsoft wants it's
applications to NOT work?

What happened to making products people want to buy?

TomFitzgibbon| Multidata | 212-967-6700 x8120- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Russ -

I tried to make my rant Microsoft directed, sorry. We all realize you
and the group are not the problem. But you and I are quite often in
the position of explaining that Microsoft just didn't get it right.
Perhaps we should stop explaining and start using alternatives.- Tom

 

[kygin]

I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant Search does
work on the Notes field.

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it 50-100
times a day.

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts, but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to the list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant Search
does
work on the Notes field.

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts, but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[kygin]

Yes, I know. That's why I'm here. Instant Search works for me perfectly,
every time and all fields, including Notes. It doesn't work for my husband.
I screwed up initially by installing an older office program after I had
installed Outlook 2007, and search wouldn't work at all. I fixed that, but I
can't find a fix for my husband's problem...Outlook not searching the Notes
field.

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant Search
does
work on the Notes field.

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts, but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You can try rebuilding the Index. Beyond that, I know of no solutions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Yes, I know. That's why I'm here. Instant Search works for me perfectly,
every time and all fields, including Notes. It doesn't work for my
husband.
I screwed up initially by installing an older office program after I had
installed Outlook 2007, and search wouldn't work at all. I fixed that,
but I
can't find a fix for my husband's problem...Outlook not searching the
Notes
field.

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant Search
does
work on the Notes field.


:

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to
the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Rob Baker]

I think I have the answer on this! I posted a similar query 2 months ago, and
have been unable to run searches in Outlook Contacts notes other than using
the cumbersome advanced find, using Vista and Outlook 2007.
I stumbled on the solution by chance.
From withing Outlook Contacts pick Tools, Instant Search, Search Options,
and in the Indexing section I find three boxes - personal folders, archive
folders and then personal folders (again). I have found by unchecking both
the personal folders boxes, pressing OK it now searches within Outlook
Contact notes. If it doesnt it is worth rebuilding the Windows Index from the
Control panel, then opening Outlook and waiting for it to index.
If anyone finds this works for them, please confirm on this thread, it is a
frustrating problem which I guess may have many causes but this worked for me.
--
Robert Baker

You can try rebuilding the Index. Beyond that, I know of no solutions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Yes, I know. That's why I'm here. Instant Search works for me perfectly,
every time and all fields, including Notes. It doesn't work for my
husband.
I screwed up initially by installing an older office program after I had
installed Outlook 2007, and search wouldn't work at all. I fixed that,
but I
can't find a fix for my husband's problem...Outlook not searching the
Notes
field.

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant Search
does
work on the Notes field.


:

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to
the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

An incomplete index is an obvious cause for this problem. Were you
intentionally using more than one PST with this profile? If you were and had
not indexed them all, then that would be a very common reason for Instant
Search to fail. If you were not, then your corrupt profile was a cause of
the failure.
This will not change the behavior other users are seeing. Remember, Instant
Search is an indexed query. Notes fields, especially those created in older
versions of Outlook, are not always indexed in their entirety. You would be
better off using a non-indexed query that you create yourself using Advanced
Find.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I think I have the answer on this! I posted a similar query 2 months ago,
and
have been unable to run searches in Outlook Contacts notes other than
using
the cumbersome advanced find, using Vista and Outlook 2007.
I stumbled on the solution by chance.
From withing Outlook Contacts pick Tools, Instant Search, Search Options,
and in the Indexing section I find three boxes - personal folders, archive
folders and then personal folders (again). I have found by unchecking both
the personal folders boxes, pressing OK it now searches within Outlook
Contact notes. If it doesnt it is worth rebuilding the Windows Index from
the
Control panel, then opening Outlook and waiting for it to index.
If anyone finds this works for them, please confirm on this thread, it is
a
frustrating problem which I guess may have many causes but this worked for
me.
--
Robert Baker

You can try rebuilding the Index. Beyond that, I know of no solutions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Yes, I know. That's why I'm here. Instant Search works for me
perfectly,
every time and all fields, including Notes. It doesn't work for my
husband.
I screwed up initially by installing an older office program after I
had
installed Outlook 2007, and search wouldn't work at all. I fixed that,
but I
can't find a fix for my husband's problem...Outlook not searching the
Notes
field.

:

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant
Search
does
work on the Notes field.


:

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider
a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use
it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my
contacts,
but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to
the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST
appricaiated.

 

[Rob Baker]

Thanks Russ. I am only using one PST file. I have no explanation as to why
there are 2 personal folders check boxes appearing within Tools, Instant
Search, Search Options, Indexing (from within Outlook Contacts). But I have
found that unchecking them both allows simple searching to find all instances
of a word in Contacts, including the notes field. It was the loss of this
facility, which I had not experienced in Outlook 2003, which was a big
hindrance, as using the Advanced Search takes quite a few mouse clicks. For
anyone else who has migrated to Outlook 2007 and is having the same problem,
it may be worth trying this. (But interestingly my Vista search is not
finding Contacts Notes Calendar or Task items, just emails)
--
Robert Baker

An incomplete index is an obvious cause for this problem. Were you
intentionally using more than one PST with this profile? If you were and had
not indexed them all, then that would be a very common reason for Instant
Search to fail. If you were not, then your corrupt profile was a cause of
the failure.
This will not change the behavior other users are seeing. Remember, Instant
Search is an indexed query. Notes fields, especially those created in older
versions of Outlook, are not always indexed in their entirety. You would be
better off using a non-indexed query that you create yourself using Advanced
Find.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I think I have the answer on this! I posted a similar query 2 months ago,
and
have been unable to run searches in Outlook Contacts notes other than
using
the cumbersome advanced find, using Vista and Outlook 2007.
I stumbled on the solution by chance.
From withing Outlook Contacts pick Tools, Instant Search, Search Options,
and in the Indexing section I find three boxes - personal folders, archive
folders and then personal folders (again). I have found by unchecking both
the personal folders boxes, pressing OK it now searches within Outlook
Contact notes. If it doesnt it is worth rebuilding the Windows Index from
the
Control panel, then opening Outlook and waiting for it to index.
If anyone finds this works for them, please confirm on this thread, it is
a
frustrating problem which I guess may have many causes but this worked for
me.
--
Robert Baker

You can try rebuilding the Index. Beyond that, I know of no solutions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Yes, I know. That's why I'm here. Instant Search works for me
perfectly,
every time and all fields, including Notes. It doesn't work for my
husband.
I screwed up initially by installing an older office program after I
had
installed Outlook 2007, and search wouldn't work at all. I fixed that,
but I
can't find a fix for my husband's problem...Outlook not searching the
Notes
field.

:

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant
Search
does
work on the Notes field.


:

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider
a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use
it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my
contacts,
but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to
the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST
appricaiated.

 

[drthmedarb in LA]

Rob, you did it! Your first fix--unchecking the personal folders--worked for
me. I can't believe it--I was so bummed out when I installed Office '07 and
that feature had been dropped. Thanks!

I think I have the answer on this! I posted a similar query 2 months ago, and
have been unable to run searches in Outlook Contacts notes other than using
the cumbersome advanced find, using Vista and Outlook 2007.
I stumbled on the solution by chance.
From withing Outlook Contacts pick Tools, Instant Search, Search Options,
and in the Indexing section I find three boxes - personal folders, archive
folders and then personal folders (again). I have found by unchecking both
the personal folders boxes, pressing OK it now searches within Outlook
Contact notes. If it doesnt it is worth rebuilding the Windows Index from the
Control panel, then opening Outlook and waiting for it to index.
If anyone finds this works for them, please confirm on this thread, it is a
frustrating problem which I guess may have many causes but this worked for me.
--
Robert Baker

You can try rebuilding the Index. Beyond that, I know of no solutions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Yes, I know. That's why I'm here. Instant Search works for me perfectly,
every time and all fields, including Notes. It doesn't work for my
husband.
I screwed up initially by installing an older office program after I had
installed Outlook 2007, and search wouldn't work at all. I fixed that,
but I
can't find a fix for my husband's problem...Outlook not searching the
Notes
field.

:

Sure, now and then. Not consistently for every user like it should.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I have to disagree. I am running Outlook 2007 on Vista. Instant Search
does
work on the Notes field.


:

Use it anyway. Instant Search doesn't work on the Notes field.
If you need information that frequently, you might want to consider a
better
place to store information than the Notes field.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Outlook 2007.

Advanced Find is very cumbersome, especially if you have to use it
50-100
times a day.



:

Post Outlook version.
Use Advanced Find.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I use keywords located in the notes field in most of my contacts,
but
the
contacts search function does not list those contacts with the
search
criteria in the notes field. How can I add the notes field to
the
list
of
indexed or queried fields? Any help would be MOST appricaiated.