I have recently inherited a large list of contacts in Outlook.  The
person who  set them up set them to "file as" by company.  I need them
to "file as" last name, first name.
How can I change all of them, without opening each one?

Hi Ellen-ga, 

Thanks for your question about Microsoft Outlook and sorting contact
lists. By searching in Google for the string 'outlook change "file as"
contacts' (no single quotes) I found a couple of pages at Microsoft
Support that can hopefully be of use to you:

[http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q175300]
This page specifically focuses on Outlook 97 - If this doesn't apply
to your version of Outlook, please let me know and I'll find something
directly relevant (but please check to see first, even if you don't
have Outlook 97...most things do remain the same from version to
version.)This document gives basic instructions for sorting by the
'file as' field by Last name, First name.

[http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q172795]
This page, entitled How to Control the Sort Order of your Contacts may
also be helpful, though it seems to cover some of the same ground as
the previous document; I navigated to this one from a link on the
previous one.

You can also search for more Outlook information from Microsoft's main
support page at http://support.microsoft.com/.

I hope this is helpful! Please don't hesitate to ask for clarification
if I've been unclear or less than helpful.

Libronaut-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by ellen-ga on 11 Jun 2002 12:50 PDT

This does not answer my question as it does only apply to a situation
in Outlook 97.  I have already searched the microsoft site and have
not found the answer there.
Repeating- how can I change the file as from company to last name,
first name?

---

Clarification of Answer by libronaut-ga on 11 Jun 2002 13:16 PDT

Dear Ellen,

You might, in future, wait for the researcher to clarify, or try to
help further, before giving the researcher a poor rating -- otherwise,
why ask for clarification?

That said, I will assume that you've tried the solution I provided
(from the web page), which was To Sort Based on the File As Field

"To configure the Outlook Address Book to sort based on the Contacts
"File As" field, follow these steps:
On the Tools menu, click Services. 

Click Outlook Address Book, then click Properties. 

Click "File As (Smith, John)." Click Close, and then click OK to close
the Services.
[at this point, you would select the option you want - I can't get my
version of Outlook to open at present, but perhaps you can open yours
and see what the options are...]

On the File menu, click Exit and Log Off. 

Restart Outlook. 

On the Tools menu, click Address Book; then click to select Contacts
in the Show Names list.

The Contacts in the Outlook Address Book are sorted and displayed
based on each contact's File As field."

Can you explain what it is about this that doesn't work to change the
sort order of your contacts? Are you getting an error message? I'll
need more information to help you troubleshoot.

Thanks
Libronaut-ga

The response did not tell me how to do what I need to do!

If this doesn't apply because you don't have Outlook 97, perhaps you
can tell me what version of Outlook you do have? Then I can try to
help you find a solution for your problem. Other questions that would
be helpful: where else have you looked? What have you tried? The more
you can tell me, the more I can actually help, instead of providing
answers that aren't satisfactory.

Hi ellen,
Go to Tools/Options in your Outlook. Click on Preferences Tab and then
click on Contact Options button.
Select the "Default File as Order" to Last, First and then press OK.
Exit Outlook and restart.
This should work. I've Outlook 2000 and it worked for me.

Let me know if it worked.

Thanks
netcrazy

libronaut,

That was nice of you to answer even though you were prematurely given a bad rating.

I believe that the full solution can be found here:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=269172

I have done this in Outlook 2000, XP (2002); I have tried this in Outlook 2003.

Best of luck,
Anandan.