Change Contact's File As format

Left Navigation bar for Rules

What's New

| More

Utilities and Add-ins

Video Tutorials

Product Reviews

Click here to subscribe
to our weekly newsletter
Exchange Messaging Outlook
EMO back issues

Have a question that needs an answer? Join the Slipstick.com Community

Converting to or from
Outlook or Exchange:
Messages and Calendar
or Address books

Change Contact's File As format

To change the default File As format used for new contacts, go to Tools, Options, Contacts options.

Outlook's Contact's offer a number of File As formats and this format can be used for the contact's name display in the Address Book. However changing the File As format on a large number of contact's is time consuming when you can the contacts one by one. You can do it using VBA or a utility (listed below).

File As formats

The file as format options are shown in the screenshot. The VBA code sample supports all 5 formats and works with Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007.

Along with changing the File As order, you can change the order Outlook assumes you use when you enter the name. This setting determines how the names populate the dialog when you press the Full name button. If the name order is wrong in FileAs ("Mary, Smith" when using last, first format), check this setting. If you choose Last First format you don't need to use a comma to separate the names when you enter them and First Last1 Last2 correctly puts the name in the middle position into the last name field, not the middle name field. Outlook will detect names separated by commas as Last, First format, regardless of the Fullname format setting.

VBA Sample

The following code sample supports all 5 File As formats available in Outlook. Press Alt+F11 to open the VBA editor then copy and paste into ThisOutlookSession. Uncomment the strFileAs line that uses the format you desire before running it. (Uncomment the line by removing the apostrophe from in front of the strFileAs = [name_format] command you wish to use.)

This code was tested with Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2007.

Public Sub ChangeFileAs()
    Dim objOL As Outlook.Application
    Dim objNS As Outlook.NameSpace
    Dim objContact As Outlook.ContactItem
    Dim objItems As Outlook.Items
    Dim objContactsFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
    Dim obj As Object
    Dim strFirstName As String
    Dim strLastName As String
    Dim strFileAs As String

On Error Resume Next

Set objOL = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
    Set objNS = objOL.GetNamespace("MAPI")
    Set objContactsFolder = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)
    Set objItems = objContactsFolder.Items

For Each obj In objItems
        'Test for contact and not distribution list
        If obj.Class = olContact Then
            Set objContact = obj

With objContact
            ' Uncomment the  strFileAs line for the desired format

'Lastname, Firstname (Company) format               
                ' strFileAs = .FullNameAndCompany 
                
                'Firstname Lastname format
                ' strFileAs = .FullName
               
                'Lastname, Firstname format
                ' strFileAs = .LastNameAndFirstName
               
                'Company name only
                ' strFileAs = .CompanyName
               
                'Companyname (Lastname, Firstname)
                ' strFileAs = .CompanyAndFullName
                
               .FileAs = strFileAs

.Save
            End With
        End If

Err.Clear
    Next

Set objOL = Nothing
    Set objNS = Nothing
    Set obj = Nothing
    Set objContact = Nothing
    Set objItems = Nothing
    Set objContactsFolder = Nothing
End Sub

Change only the 'subject' field used by the Address book

Use the Outlook File As Order custom form to change just the display in the Address book, from Last name first, to First name first or use the File As entry.

Notes:

Form must be published to work.

This method will not change the actual sort order in the Contacts folder or format used on the File As field.

Will return an error if there are distribution lists in the Contacts folder.

This has the same options as you'll find in Tools, E-mail Accounts, View or change existing Address books, Outlook Address book properties, but also adds Last name first option and full File As format, including the Company name.

Works on any contact folder - select the folder before clicking one of the buttons on the form. Leave the form open and select another folder to use it on additional folders.

Tools

ContactGenie Toolkit

ContactGenie Toolkit - 28 functions for Outlook 2000-2010 enabling changes to individual standard and custom fields; standardization for Message Class, CompanyName, FileAs, EmailDisplayAs, Fullname, and other fields; contact and NK2 info export; export contacts to CSV file; global changes for CompanyName, Company Address, Email and Web addresses. Preview/override any pending changes. Add Birthday/Anniversary/user-defined dates to default calendar. Personal Distribution Group management functions and more.

More Information

OL2002: How to Change the File As Field for All Contacts
OL2002: How to Change the 'File As' Field Order for Contacts

Updated Dec 28 2009

Submit New or Updated Outlook and Exchange Server Utilities

Hosted by Intermedia.net

Change Contact's File As format

VBA Sample

Change only the 'subject' field used by the Address book

Tools

More Information

Updated Dec 28 2009

Copyright Slipstick Systems. All rights reserved. Send comments using our Feedback page

Copyright Slipstick Systems. All rights reserved.
Send comments using our Feedback page