Quick question about the "File As" field

[gamer2k4]

I just started using BCM, and I've noticed an annoying feature.
Contacts and accounts seem to be automatically sorted by their "File
As" field, which appears to be formed by taking the last word of the
name, putting it in front, and separating it from the rest of the name
with a comma. For most personal names, I suppose this would be fine.
But BCM does the same thing to accounts, which are supposed to be
businesses. If I have an entry titled "Microsoft Corporation," I
don't want it to be listed as "Corporation, Microsoft" and sorted as
such. Is there a way to turn this off or alter its functionality?
I've been importing our contact database from another program and I
don't want to have to change each one individually.

 

[Vinit [MSFT]]

You can always over write the default File As value

Thanks
Vinit [MSFT]

 

[Jake]

I have the same problem. I imported all my contacts from ACT and now the
File As field is listed as Last Name, First Name and it does the same thing
with company names so that it jumbles them up. So far it hasn't been a huge
problem on my Desktop PC since I have more search options but I use a Pocket
PC extensively when away from the office and don't have the sorting and
search capabilities on it. I don't remember near as many of my contacts last
names as I do their first. It just seems a stupid way to do things or at the
very least you should have the option to sort by first name without having to
go through every contact one by one changing the File As field. Anyone know
how to unscramble all my imported contacts without going one by one? Thanks!

 

[gamer2k4]

You can always over write the default File As value

Not exactly feasible for 17000 contacts.

I have the same problem.  I imported all my contacts from ACT and now the
File As field is listed as Last Name, First Name and it does the same thing
with company names so that it jumbles them up.  So far it hasn't been ahuge
problem on my Desktop PC since I have more search options but I use a Pocket
PC extensively when away from the office and don't have the sorting and
search capabilities on it.  I don't remember near as many of my contacts last
names as I do their first.  It just seems a stupid way to do things or at the
very least you should have the option to sort by first name without having to
go through every contact one by one changing the File As field.  Anyoneknow
how to unscramble all my imported contacts without going one by one? Thanks!

Simplest way that I've discovered is to just add the First Name field
to the headers. To do this, right-click on the headers, select Field
Chooser, then click drag First Name to the header bar. After that,
you can sort First Name (or any other field) by clicking on that
particular header. I don't know if this process works on a Pocket PC,
but it can't hurt to try.

 

[Jake]

You may have found your answer by now but in case you haven't I found the
solution on another post. You can export your contacts and then import them
sorted with first name last name like you want. What you have to do is first
go to Tools/Options/Contact Options Button then change the default "File As"
setting to first last.

Export your database in a .bcm format which is one of your export options.
After exporting I imported them with the option of "no duplicates" thinking
it would overwrite the existing contacts without duplicating contacts. That
didn't work so I then just highlighted all my contacts on the contact screen
and deleted them then ran the import wizard again and they all came back with
the file as column sorted first name last name like I wanted.

Hope this helps you and all the rest of us trying to get this set up like we
want.

 

[Anya]

To "Export" the "File As" Field in Outlook:

Create a Phone View for Your contacts
Arrange your column headers how you want - include every field you want to
"Export."
Select All
Copy
Open Excel
Paste
Save the Excel File as A CSV or Import your Excel File from the App you are
using....

Hope this helps!!