"Contact List: Select Mambers" question

[Octavio]

When I get my "Contatct List: Select Mambers" , my list is organized with
the first name of the person.

How can I make this list shown organized to the person's last names first,
and default to it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

The listings are based on the "Display As" name you have specified for that
email address. So you'll have to change the way that you saved your
addresses. There is no option to change this globally but you might be able
to do it with some VBA. Note that this field is completely free to type in;
it does not need to hold the name of the contact nor does it require it to
contain the email address (it might be convenient though).

 

[Octavio]

I have the names in Outlook's 2007 File As "Last Name, First Name". But
then in my list of Ditstribution List they show as "First Name, Last Name".
If Microsoft did not know that a default business list begin with the Last
Name, and did not provide options for that change in my distribution list,
then I think they made a bu bu there.

 

[Russ Valentine]

The problem is on your end. If you designated your File As.. field to be
Last, First, you can easily set your address book view to sort by the File
As... field. Do so here:
Tools > Account Settings > Address Book Tab > Outlook Address Book >
Change... >
Then restart Outlook.

 

[Octavio]

Thanks, Russ. I followed your advise, and it worked. That is what I was
trying to find, how to do that. It also worked with my Word when I insert
an adrress in the envelope.
But I wonder, how come that Microsoft has something basic thing (setting)
like this hidden in that "super secret location"?

 

[Russ Valentine]

Excellent question, but you won't like the answer. The Outlook Address Book
Service is an outdated relic, as are many of the features in Outlook.
Microsoft essentially abandoned any improvements to the address book
interface several versions ago and instead focused its attention on the
Contacts Folders for developing features for sorting and customized views of
Contacts. That would have been fine if they had not also forced us to
continue to rely on the old address book service for many of the things we
need to do when selecting recipients. As a result, we have Contacts Folders
that behave one way and the address book view that behaves another--and they
leave us to figure out how to configure and use both with no guidance.
Nice, huh? Until there is a cure for schizophrenia, there will be no cure
for Outlook. Zyprexa doesn't work. I tried it already as an Outlook Add-in.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Zyprexa doesn't work. I tried it already as an Outlook Add-in.
LOL

 

[Octavio]

Thanks, Russ. I have already noticed some discrepancies, what you talk
about, but I did not really understood the reasons until now, or why certain
things did not agree with some of the others. I think you are right, there
are some loose ends that have not been resolved. Thanks for the
enlightement.