Can I create a shortcut for a contact?

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Is there a way to put a contact into more than one file, such as by creating
a shortcut to the contact? In other words, I want to put a contact into more
than one file. I know I can copy a contact to a different file. So lets say I
have the same contact in two files: but when I modify one of those duplicate
contacts, the modification is only saved to that file and not to the
duplicate version. I would like to be able to have the same contact in two or
more files and when I update or modify the contact in any one file, have the
update/modification be applied to all other versions of that contact.

I have experimented with this and learned that if I have a contact in more
than one place and then modify any version of that contact, only the single
contact I have modified will be updated. The copies of the contact which
reside in other files will not be updated.

Which leads me to believe that instead of copying a contact to more than one
file, I need to have an original version in one file and then shortcuts to
the original version in other files. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks
 
What do you mean by "files?"
Why aren't you just using Categories like the rest of us?
 
williams2006 said:
Which leads me to believe that instead of copying a contact to more
than one file, I need to have an original version in one file and
then shortcuts to the original version in other files. Is there a way
to do this?
Click to expand...

There are no such shortcuts in Outlook. Every item in a folder is a
separate item. Modifying one affects no other.
 
If you want simple access to a particular contact or certain contacts,
export each one to a .vcf file, and save them to a fold that you have easy
access to. When you need one, find it and double click on it ... and voila,
the contact form appears.

--Jim

: Is there a way to put a contact into more than one file, such as by
creating
: a shortcut to the contact? In other words, I want to put a contact into
more
: than one file. I know I can copy a contact to a different file. So lets
say I
: have the same contact in two files: but when I modify one of those
duplicate
: contacts, the modification is only saved to that file and not to the
: duplicate version. I would like to be able to have the same contact in two
or
: more files and when I update or modify the contact in any one file, have
the
: update/modification be applied to all other versions of that contact.
:
: I have experimented with this and learned that if I have a contact in more
: than one place and then modify any version of that contact, only the
single
: contact I have modified will be updated. The copies of the contact which
: reside in other files will not be updated.
:
: Which leads me to believe that instead of copying a contact to more than
one
: file, I need to have an original version in one file and then shortcuts to
: the original version in other files. Is there a way to do this?
:
: Thanks
 
<<What do you mean by "files?"
Why aren't you just using Categories like the rest of us?>>

Thanks for the input. I am, for the record, using categories. Technically, I
could use categories to do what I am trying to do, but I would end up with
several hundred categories, making the categories function unwieldy.

By files I mean that under "Contacts" in the "Folder List" view I have a
long list of contact sub-folders. For each subfolder I may have additional
subfolders. Within each folder or subfolder are individual contacts. For my
work, I do a lot of research and I have contacts who represent sources of
information for different areas of my researh.

So if I start a new research project, I make a new folder for contacts
associated with that project. Some of the contacts for this new project will
be new contacts. And some of the contacts for this new project will already
be in the file of an old project. And I want to move the old contact to the
file for the new project, but I also want to keep the contact in the file of
the old project.

When I do the new project using a contact from an old project, I will
probably add to or modify the information of the old contact (with, for
example, information about the new project). So instead of moving the old
contact from the old project file to the new project file, I would like to be
able to add a shortcut to the old contact in the new contact file, instead of
moving the contact.

If I copy the old contact to the new project file. I now have two versions
of the contact: one in the old project file and one in the new project file.
As I update the information on the contact in the new project file, the
information on the contact in the old project file will stay the same. I want
the two files to, in a sense, be syncronized.

As an analogy: If I have a Word document stored in a file, I will often have
shortcuts to that Word file stored in other, related files. As opposed to
having the Word file copied to other files. If the Word document is copied to
other files, anytime I modify it, it will only be updated in the one file and
not the others. Which is why I am trying to figure out how to create a
shortcut to a contact so I can access the same, single contact from different
files within Outlook.

<<If you want simple access to a particular contact or certain contacts,
export each one to a .vcf file, and save them to a fold that you have easy
access to. When you need one, find it and double click on it ... and voila,
the contact form appears>>

I tried this, but the same problem occurs. A separate and new vcf file is
created independent from the original contact file. Any modifications to
either file is only saved in that file.

<<There are no such shortcuts in Outlook. Every item in a folder is a
separate item. Modifying one affects no other.>>

This is what I had concluded, but I wanted to get a second opinion. I was
hoping I was missing something.
 
Well as you can see, there are basically two ways to group Contacts in
Outlook: Categories and separate Contact Subfolders. Each has its pros and
cons which you can review here to see which more nearly meets your needs:
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/oloabcat.htm

You cannot create shortcuts to individual Contacts, but you can create links
between Contacts using the Contacts... button in the Contact Form, if that
helps at all.
 
Thanks for the link. I checked it out and I too use a combination of contact
folders and categories. I also use the contact button at the lower right
corner of a contact to link related contacts. I guess I could use that: copy
the old contact to the new folder and then link back to the old contact in
its original folder. I am still left with two contacts, one with updated info
and one with old info, but I guess that's my only choice.

Maybe someday one of you Outlook buffs will write a small add-on program
that will allow an Outlook user to create contact shortcuts. You'd have at
least one customer!

Thanks again for the input.

Russ Valentine said:
Well as you can see, there are basically two ways to group Contacts in
Outlook: Categories and separate Contact Subfolders. Each has its pros and
cons which you can review here to see which more nearly meets your needs:
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/oloabcat.htm

You cannot create shortcuts to individual Contacts, but you can create links
between Contacts using the Contacts... button in the Contact Form, if that
helps at all.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
williams2006 said:
<<What do you mean by "files?"
Why aren't you just using Categories like the rest of us?>>

Thanks for the input. I am, for the record, using categories. Technically,
I
could use categories to do what I am trying to do, but I would end up with
several hundred categories, making the categories function unwieldy.

By files I mean that under "Contacts" in the "Folder List" view I have a
long list of contact sub-folders. For each subfolder I may have additional
subfolders. Within each folder or subfolder are individual contacts. For
my
work, I do a lot of research and I have contacts who represent sources of
information for different areas of my researh.

So if I start a new research project, I make a new folder for contacts
associated with that project. Some of the contacts for this new project
will
be new contacts. And some of the contacts for this new project will
already
be in the file of an old project. And I want to move the old contact to
the
file for the new project, but I also want to keep the contact in the file
of
the old project.

When I do the new project using a contact from an old project, I will
probably add to or modify the information of the old contact (with, for
example, information about the new project). So instead of moving the old
contact from the old project file to the new project file, I would like to
be
able to add a shortcut to the old contact in the new contact file, instead
of
moving the contact.

If I copy the old contact to the new project file. I now have two versions
of the contact: one in the old project file and one in the new project
file.
As I update the information on the contact in the new project file, the
information on the contact in the old project file will stay the same. I
want
the two files to, in a sense, be syncronized.

As an analogy: If I have a Word document stored in a file, I will often
have
shortcuts to that Word file stored in other, related files. As opposed to
having the Word file copied to other files. If the Word document is copied
to
other files, anytime I modify it, it will only be updated in the one file
and
not the others. Which is why I am trying to figure out how to create a
shortcut to a contact so I can access the same, single contact from
different
files within Outlook.

<<If you want simple access to a particular contact or certain contacts,
export each one to a .vcf file, and save them to a fold that you have easy
access to. When you need one, find it and double click on it ... and
voila,
the contact form appears>>

I tried this, but the same problem occurs. A separate and new vcf file is
created independent from the original contact file. Any modifications to
either file is only saved in that file.

<<There are no such shortcuts in Outlook. Every item in a folder is a
separate item. Modifying one affects no other.>>

This is what I had concluded, but I wanted to get a second opinion. I was
hoping I was missing something.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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