Managing contacts

[elkiem2007]

When I click "lookup Outlook contact" I get the error message "Cannot find a
contact with this email address".
I know that the contact exists but it is stored in the Business Contact
Manager address book (local database). I understand that Outlook is searching
only through the standard 'personal folders' for contacts.
Surely there must be a way to resolve this and set Outlook to search through
either a different contact folder or even ALL contacts?
There doesnt seem a lok of point having multiple contacts folders if you
cant search through folders other than just 'personal folders'.

Another problem very closely link with this is that when I do 'add to
contacts' by right clicking on the new email heading, Outlook will only add
the contact to the 'personal folders' contact book and not straight into BCM
contacts.

Can somebody offer some advice please?

Outlok version: 2003
Business contact manager: v2 (update)

 

[whkratz]

When I click "lookup Outlook contact" I get the error message "Cannot find a
contact with this email address".

Right-click on your Business Contacts folder, select Properties, select
Outlook Address Book tab, and make sure that "Show this folder as an e-mail
Address Book" is checked. This should solve your first problem.

I don't think there is an easy solution to your second question.

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[whkratz]

Another problem very closely link with this is that when I do 'add to
contacts' by right clicking on the new email heading, Outlook will only add
the contact to the 'personal folders' contact book and not straight into BCM
contacts.

Of course an alternative method is just dragging the e-mail message to your
Business Contacts folder, which will open a new Business Contact record for
the sender.

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[elkiem2007]

Thanks.
The properties were already set as 'show this as an email folder' so Im
afraid that doesnt solve the problem. Surely Outlook can be set to look
through more than just the personal contacts when you right-click a new email
address to verify? Its not an installation issue because Ive recently
re-installed outlook AND upgraded BCM and the problem was the same before and
after.

The dragging option is a good idea though, so part of the problem is solved.
Dave.

 

[whkratz]

Hi Dave -- The "Show this Folder as an e-mail Address Book" option is the way
to tell Outlook to look through more than just the default folder, so
something else is going on with your setup. With my installation, Outlook
looks through five Contact folders in which that option has been set.

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[whkratz]

Dave -- When you go to Tools | Address Book and then select the Address Book
dropdown, are Accounts and Business Contacts displayed among the folders
under your Outlook Address Book?

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[elkiem2007]

Yes, they are. If I pull down the tab 'show names from the' I get 'Outlook
address book' which then has 3 sub headings of 'Accounts' 'Business Contacts'
and 'Contacts'

I just want to be clear that we're talking about the same problem. If I type
a search into the address book quick-find window (the button on the toolbar)
then I dont have a problem. Outlook will search all address books.
However when a new email comes in and I want to see if they are already in
my address book, I right click the email addess, select 'lookup outlook
contact' and I just get the error message. (even though I know the email is
in the address book)

Any other ideas?
Dave.

 

[whkratz]

Any other ideas?
Dave.
--

Take a look at this kb article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/813607
It's not very explicit about the cause, and I don't think it was carefully
written (it talks about the "To" field when I think it means the "From"
field), but it does suggest a possible workaround.

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[elkiem2007]

Thanks, You're being very helpful.
Unfortunately as you suggest the article is a tad vague! The problem is
correct, except that Im not receiving email from an exchange server.
Everything I have setup is locally based. The solution is presents is meerly
just looking at the email properties and doesnt achieve anything.

I guess it sounds like i may just have to learn to live with it or upgrade
to office 2007.
Dave.

 

[whkratz]

It seems the workaround suggested is also running into your original problem.
When I double-click on the From field of an e-mail sent by someone in one of
my Contacts folders, it opens the Contact form (same as right-clicking and
selecting Lookup Outlook Contact).

Have you run Detect and Repair?

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[whkratz]

Dave -- You might try "resetting" your Address Book(s). Remove all Address
Books, close and restart Outlook, and add the folders back into the Address
Book list.

Regards.....Bill Kratz

 

[elkiem2007]

Ive run detect and repair and even tried your idea of resetting the address
books. Unfortunately still no joy.

It may be a coincidence but Ive also noticed other strange anomolies with
BCM. For example if I attempt to export a folder such as the contacts to csv
or excel I get a message saying that it cannot be done with BCM. Same when I
try to add a search folder for BCM.

I guess Im just going to have to get used to these irritaing anomolies.
Outlook and BCM seems to come teasingly close to the software that I want to
use, but unfortunately it does seem to have a few really simple things that
it cannot do which is such a shame. It seems like the people at Microsoft
have never actually used it before putting it onto the market.

Thanks for all your help,
Dave.