My MS Outlook contact list is a mess, therefore my device contact list is clogged with duplicates, half information, etc., etc. How do I clean up my MS Outlook contact list to better host it on my device to save memory, improve speed, etc.?

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry Curve 8900)

I would fix what you mentioned is wrong: remove duplicates, fill out information, etc, etc. You can also use the BlackBerry Desktop Manager to clear the Address Book database of the BlackBerry, then perform another synchronization from Outlook (after it has been cleaned up) and then you will have your contacts information back on the BlackBerry.

I always export into 2 Address Books: 1 for PC and 1 for Mobile... So that you can import it anytime you want... When you want to use PC Address Book, clear all the MS Outlook Address Book and Import PC Address Book, the same for Mobile Address Book... :D

What is the best way to identify and delete duplicates?

What I did a few years ago was to export the outlook contact list into an excel file, sort by each column, one at a time, and remove or merge duplicates. Took a while to go through and clean up, but after I was done, imported back into outlook with a clean contact list then synced back to the bb.

If you are in Outlook contacts, you can go to the search field and leaving it blank press search/find now. It should throw a list of all your contacts. Duplicates might show up next to each other. That way you can open them up and consolidate everything into one.

Wirelessly posted (VZW Storm, ATT Bold)

Just as a warning if you edit numbers in outlook 2007 it will automatically place a one in front of all numbers

Not unless you have it set up this way. I have Outlook 2007 on both home and work computers and do not get the 1 in front of phone numbers.

All of that being said, is there software that I can use to identify MS Outlook duplicate contacts?

I have never heard of such a thing. Most people just open Outlook and it's pretty easy to see that you have John Smith and John Smith and delete one of them.

Yes, there are several programs that will remove duplicate MS Outlook files. Do a google search for MS Office Add-Ins and you will really be surprised of the vast number of add-ins that can be added to Outlook. Most cost $29 to $49 or more but I have several different add-ins installed, i.e. Automatically file email after reading the email.

Currently I have over 8,000 contacts in Outlook and also on my BB (95% business) and it loads fast and I never have a problem. My Desktop syncs every night so that anything that I have added or changed in Outlook shows correctly on my BB the next morning.

There's a free one that works pretty well. Let me find it.

Here you go: ODIR

http://www.pcworld.com/article/15807...k_records.html

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/fil...scription.html


Also removes duplicate emails. It works better on emails that a paid program I have does. Oh, make sure you check how it compares the contacts. I'm not sure of the method. For emails it puts them into a new folder so you can double check before deleting forever. Not sure if it does that for contacts.