How do I creat a Distribution List from contacts found by catagori

[JT Solaicx]

I want to create an emial distribution list fron a subset of contacts. I
want to use the catagories feature to find the subset of contacts. Once the
subset is found I want to create the distribution list. This should be
straight forward, but it is not. Am I missing somthing here? Please help

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

If you've already created Categories, why do you need a DL? You can send a
message to all members of a category by selecting the Category in the
Category View, then Actions > New Message to Contact

DL's are buggy and unreliable. Most of avoid them if we can.

 

[JGT]

Russ, I'm missing something and cannot get your suggestion to work. I have
several entries in my address book assigned to different categories, one
category is "Family". When I select my address book (Outlook 2003 with All
the updates) and use "By Category view" of the contact folder I expected to
see the categories in some order but the Category column is not in any order
(I expected to see all of the "Family" entries groupded, I also realize that
I can assign an entry to multiple categories.. I'm also confused by
"selecting the Category in the Category View" part of your statement. When I
click on the "Category Header" Outlook attempts to sort the column but gives
me a message "Cannot Sort by this Column" In the "Actions" menu item I do
see "New Message to Contact" but that sends a message to only the contact
selected. How do I select the "Category", in my example "Family"?

If you've already created Categories, why do you need a DL? You can send a
message to all members of a category by selecting the Category in the
Category View, then Actions > New Message to Contact

DL's are buggy and unreliable. Most of avoid them if we can.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I want to create an emial distribution list fron a subset of contacts. I
want to use the catagories feature to find the subset of contacts. Once
the
subset is found I want to create the distribution list. This should be
straight forward, but it is not. Am I missing somthing here? Please help

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The Outlook Address Book cannot be sorted by Category.
The Contacts Folder can.
Reread my instructions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Russ, I'm missing something and cannot get your suggestion to work. I have
several entries in my address book assigned to different categories, one
category is "Family". When I select my address book (Outlook 2003 with All
the updates) and use "By Category view" of the contact folder I expected
to
see the categories in some order but the Category column is not in any
order
(I expected to see all of the "Family" entries groupded, I also realize
that
I can assign an entry to multiple categories.. I'm also confused by
"selecting the Category in the Category View" part of your statement. When
I
click on the "Category Header" Outlook attempts to sort the column but
gives
me a message "Cannot Sort by this Column" In the "Actions" menu item I do
see "New Message to Contact" but that sends a message to only the contact
selected. How do I select the "Category", in my example "Family"?

If you've already created Categories, why do you need a DL? You can send
a
message to all members of a category by selecting the Category in the
Category View, then Actions > New Message to Contact

DL's are buggy and unreliable. Most of avoid them if we can.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I want to create an emial distribution list fron a subset of contacts.
I
want to use the catagories feature to find the subset of contacts.
Once
the
subset is found I want to create the distribution list. This should be
straight forward, but it is not. Am I missing somthing here? Please
help

 

[JGT]

OK I see "You can send a message to all members of a category by selecting
the Category in the Category View, then Actions > New Message to Contact "

Is it correct to assume that I should be in the address book and then select
"Category View". In this view I don't see any grouping by category. Now if
in this view I select "By Company" then I do see grouping by Company. I still
don't know what you are suggesting, sorry but rereading your instructions
still leave me in the dark.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

No. The Address Book has nothing to do with it.
I said to use your Contacts Folder. Only the Contacts Folder can be sorted
by Category.
Just look at the Navigation Pane > Current View
Do you see "By Category?"

 

[JGT]

I think what I've been calling the address book is really the contacts
folder. When I open the Contacts/Address Book it does say Contacts at the
top of the nav and view panes. In the left nav pane I see two major sections
(1) My Contacts (2) Current View.

Under Current View I see (1) Address cards, when I select this view I see a
"rolodex" type view, (2) Detail Address Cards, when I slect this view I see
another rolodex view but it is formatted differently than the first view, (3)
Phone List, when I select this view I see the contacts in a spreadsheet view
that seems to be sorted on last name (nothing is "grouped"), (4) By
Category, when I select this view I have a similar view as in "Phone List",
the sort order is different (all of my distribution list appear at the bottom
of the list) and there is NO Grouping. I expected to see the list grouped by
categories. I have numerous contacts assigned to various categories. (5) By
Company, when I select the view is similar to the "Phone List" but I do have
groupings by company. (6) By Location, when I select this view (another
spreadsheet) entries are grouped by "County/Region" (7) By Follow-up Flag,
when I select this view (another spreadsheet) the entries seem to be sorted
on last name but since I have no enries flagged there are no grouped entries.

As I've tried to state several times the "By Categor" view does not do
anything for me.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

The By Category view will group your Contacts by their assigned categories
unless you've changed it.

 

[JGT]

Your clues finally helped me find my problem: To correct the issue I had to -
(1)select the "By Category" view
(2)Click in the menu "View" > Arrange by > Current View > Customize Current
View
(3)in the drop down for "Group Items by" I selected "Categories" and
"Descending" (the descending put all the entries I did not assign to a
category at the bottom)

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Someone must have changed that view from its default setting.