Weekly Computer Tip # 166
11 August 2006

Inserting an Outlook Contact Address into a Word Document (Microsoft Office)

You might be aware that your Outlook Contacts folder can include much more than just e-mail addresses. A contact item can include a nickname, address, several phone numbers, multiple e-mail addresses, fax numbers, and lots of other information such as the contact's birthday, anniversary, assistant's name and so on. But why would you want to do this?

Well, one reason may be to quickly insert names or addresses from your Outlook Contacts folder into a Word document.

Here's how:

1. In your Word document, move the insertion point to the location where you want to insert the name or address.
2. Click the Insert Address button.
3. If necessary type the name you want to find in the "Type Name or Select from List" box.
4. Double-click the name you want to add.

Many, many moons ago (I think it was in Word version 97?!), the Insert Address button was part of one of the toolbars. Nowadays, the Insert Address button seems to be hidden on the Recipient Info tab of the Letter Wizard. (Available using the Tools, Letters and Mailings command.) But if you like what you see (you're testing this out, aren't you?) and are going to add Outlook address information to documents frequently, you might want to add the Insert Address button on your toolbar. (For information about adding a button to a toolbar see tip # 61 (http://www.roem.co.uk/tip_61.html. You can find the Insert Address button listed under the Insert categories, almost at the bottom of the Commands box.)

By the way, the Insert Address button has a little arrow next to it that allows you to quickly insert names or addresses you have used most recently.

One bit of warning though (with credit to Anthony Hopkinson for this tip) ... the address is likely to include the default Country/Region such as "United Kingdom".) If you do not want to include this information:

1. Open an existing contact (or create a new one).
2. Click on the relevant Home or Business button under the Addresses area.
3. Click on the Country/Region field to highlight it.
4. Press the Delete button on your keyboard (or the space bar).

Don't panic - you only have to do this once! Not for every address you include. Nor do you have to go into every single contact you ever created.

Finally (kind of linked to this topic of reusing address information for mailshots) ... although summer may still be in full swing (is it?) Harrods and Selfridges have launched their Christmas ranges this week. With "only" 136 days left until Christmas you might want to start thinking about those cards! If you need help merging your data from your Outlook Contacts folder, a Word table, an Excel spreadsheet or Access database to create mailing labels or print envelopes you can save countless hours of frustration and reserve your place on the Mail Merge Demystified seminar, scheduled for the morning of 5 October. See http://www.roem.co.uk/mailmerge_demystified.html for full details.

Until next week.

PS I’m committed to sharing the best of what I know with others so please don’t keep me a secret. If you enjoyed today’s tip, please forward it to anyone you feel may benefit. Alternatively, feel free to reprint it (with full copyright and subscription information) in your newsletters and message boards.

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