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You can use the Business Data Import and Export wizard to import (import: To bring information from one system or program into another. The system or program receiving the data must somehow support the internal format or structure of the data.) data into or export (export: To copy your Business Contact Manager for Outlook business data to a file of a different format for use in a database, a spreadsheet, or another program.) data from Business Contact Manager for Outlook 2007.

 Tip   You can import and export your business data from or to any valid storage device or removable media such as another computer, a USB memory stick, CD, floppy disk, Zip drive, or company network.

• Import data

• Export data

• Use the wizard to update an existing database with information from another database

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Import data

You can import the following types of data files from other applications and programs for use in Business Contact Manager for Outlook:

Business Contact Manager for Outlook data (.bcm)

Includes data from Accounts (Account: A business or organization with which you do business. If a service is being provided, such as dental or medical, an Account can also be a customer.), Business Contacts (Business Contact: A person with whom you do business at a company or organization.), Opportunities (Opportunity: The chance to sell your products or services to an Account or Business Contact.), Business Projects (Business Project: A project that is created in Business Contact Manager for Outlook. A Business Project is made up of one or several project tasks.), and their communication history data from previous versions of Business Contact Manager for Outlook.

 Note   When you import Accounts or Business Contacts, you can choose to import all the records (record: A completed Account, Business Contact, or Opportunity form. The record contains Account, Business Contact, or Opportunity information, plus the other records and items that are linked to it.), including the related communication history, or you can choose to import only the records you want. When you import selected Account or Business Contact records, their respective linked Business Contacts or Accounts are not imported.

Business Contact Manager Customizations (.bcmx)

Includes customized data from the user-defined field (user-defined field: A field that you can create and define to track information specific to your business.) values. However, only the database owner (database owner: The person who created the database, and has full control, including granting access permissions or deleting records. When a database has been restored, then the person who restored it becomes the owner.) or an administrator for the computer on which the database is located, can import user-defined fields.

Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager E-mail Marketing Service contacts (.bcm)

 Important   Service Closure Notice Microsoft will discontinue the E-mail Marketing Service effective May 1, 2009, but you can continue to use the service until May 1, 2009.

To import your Business Contacts into the E-Mail Marketing Service (E-Mail Marketing Service: An online service for your Marketing Campaign that allows you to acquire and manage e-mail lists, and to track the results.), you need to sign in to the E-Mail Marketing Service service. Follow the instructions on the final page of the Business Data Import and Export wizard, and then import your file into the E-Mail Marketing Service.

 Note   If you previously imported Business Contacts from List Builder 1.0 (the former name for the E-Mail Marketing Service), you must first export these to a .bcm file format, and then import them into Business Contact Manager for Outlook.

Comma-separated values (.csv)

Includes data in the comma separated values file (comma separated values file: A text file that contains data that is separated by commas (also known as a comma-delimited file). You can create and save a .csv file in programs such as Notepad or Excel.) (.csv) format, which is separated by commas, regardless of the list separator found in your Windows operating system. The list separator is found in Control Panel, in the Regional and Language Options, on the Regional Options tab. Formatting data into the .csv file format is one way of importing the data into Business Contact Manager for Outlook from programs such as Outlook Express or Windows Live Hotmail. For information about how to import data from Outlook Express or Hotmail into Outlook, see the following topics: Import your messages or account from Outlook Express to Outlook, Import contacts from Windows Live Hotmail to Outlook.

To import a list of products and services that is in the .csv file format, use the Import wizard in the Product and Service Items (product and service items: Goods and services that you purchase or sell, or offer for purchase or sale.) List.

 Tip   To make sure the categories in the imported list will match those in Business Contact Manager for Outlook, on the Business Contact Manager menu, click Product and Service Items List, and confirm what categories are currently being used.

To import a list of products and services from your accounting system, Business Contact Manager for Outlook and your accounting system must be integrated. For more information about including product and service items from your accounting system in Business Contact Manager for Outlook , see About product and service items in Business Contact Manager.

Access database (.mdb, .accdb)

Includes data in Microsoft Office Access file formats.

Excel* Workbook (.xls, .xlsx)

Includes data files in Microsoft Office Excel file formats (at least Office 2003).

 Tip   To use Office 2003 to open documents created by using the 2007 Office system file formats such as .xslx, download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 file formats from the Microsoft Web site.

The following information provides some suggestions about column headings that should be used in Excel*. Also try asking for help from other users by visiting the Business Contact Manager for Outlook Discussion Group (microsoft.public.outlook.bcm).

  Notes  

• At least one column in the Excel* spreadsheet should include a column heading such as City.
• The column heading row must be the first row in the spreadsheet. The values for some of the column heading can be blank. For example, Name; <blank>; Street; City.
• Do not include any information above the column heading row.
• Map the column headings to match the labels on Business Contact Manager records. For more information about mapping fields, see Map fields in Business Contact Manager.

*The stand-alone edition of Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager can be used with Excel 2007 or Excel 2003.

Outlook Contacts (.pst)

Includes contacts in Microsoft Office Outlook file format ( .pst)

For information about how to copy or move an individual contact into Business Contact Manager for Outlook, see Copy or move individual Outlook contacts into Business Contact Manager.

 Note   Outlook contacts are separate from Business Contacts. Importing, copying or moving an Outlook contact into Business Contact Manager for Outlook creates a separate, distinct record in Business Contact Manager for Outlook that is not synchronized with the Outlook contact record. Changes made to a Business Contact record that was created from an Outlook contact are not reflected in the Outlook contact record or vice versa.

Microsoft Sales Leads (.bcm)

Includes Microsoft Sales Leads file from previous versions of Business Contact Manager for Outlook.

ACT! (.dbf, .pad)

The ACT! application must be already installed on your computer before you can start importing data from an ACT! file format. The Business Data Import and Export wizard uses its conversion tool to convert this file type into Business Contact Manager file format, before importing the data.

 Note   ACT! versions include ACT! 2007/9, ACT! 2006/8, ACT! 2005/7, ACT! 2003/6, ACT! 2000/5, ACT! 4. Download and install Service Pack 1 for Office 2007 which includes support for importing business data from ACT! 2007/9 and improved support for ACT! 2006/8. The stand-alone edition of Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager includes this support. The English language version of Business Contact Manager for Outlook can only convert ACT! data created by using a United States version of ACT!.

QuickBooks (.iif)

A file in the .iff format from any version of QuickBooks can be imported. The Business Data Import and Export wizard uses its conversion tool to convert this file type into Business Contact Manager file format, before importing the data.

Other types of files

Business Contacts from programs such as Outlook Express can be imported into Business Contact Manager for Outlook if the data can be converted into a comma separated values (comma separated values file: A text file that contains data that is separated by commas (also known as a comma-delimited file). You can create and save a .csv file in programs such as Notepad or Excel.) (.csv) file, Check the Help for the program from which you want to import data.

Import a file or folder by using the Business Data Import and Export wizard

1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools, and then click Import and Export.
2. Click Import a file, and then click Next.
3. Select the type of file that you want to import, and then click Next.

   If you select ACT! (.dbf. .pad) or QuickBooks (.iif) formats:

    Note   ACT! versions include ACT! 2007/9, ACT! 2006/8, ACT! 2005/7, ACT! 2003/6, ACT! 2000/5, ACT! 4. Download and install Service Pack 1 for Office 2007 which includes support for importing business data from ACT! 2007/9 and improved support for ACT! 2006/8. The stand-alone edition of Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager includes this support. The English language version of Business Contact Manager for Outlook can only convert ACT! data created by using a United States version of ACT!.
   Importing business data from all versions of QuickBooks is supported.

   1. Click Convert Data to convert your data into Business Contact Manager file format. This tool functions like a wizard to help you import these types of files.
   2. In the Data Conversion Tool, click Next.
   3. Select the program that created the data that you want to convert, and click Next.
   4. Browse to the file that you want to convert, and click Next.
   5. Follow the instructions in the Data Conversion Tool.

      For assistance with a page in the wizard, click Help on that page.

   6. When the data conversion is completed, click Close to exit the Data Conversion Tool and return to the Business Data Import and Export wizard.
4. Follow the instructions in the Business Data Import and Export wizard.

   For assistance with a page in the wizard, click the Help button on that page.

Export data

You can export data from Business Contact Manager for Outlook for use in other applications or programs by converting it to one of the following formats:

Business Contact Manager data (.bcm)

This can include Accounts, Business Contacts, Opportunities, Business Projects, and their communication history data from previous versions of Business Contact Manager for Outlook.

 Tip   You can export the Product and Service Items List in Business Contact Manager for Outlook along with Account or Business Contact records in the .bcm file format by using the Business Data Import and Export wizard. The Product and Service Items List cannot be exported into the .csv file format and cannot be exported independent of Account or Business Contact records.

Business Contact Manager Customizations (.bcmx)

This file type includes user-defined fields and data.

Comma-separated values (.csv)

This file type includes data that has been exported from Business Contact Manager for Outlook to the .csv format and is separated by commas, regardless of the list separator found on your Windows operating system. The list separator is in Control Panel, in the Regional and Language Options dialog box, on the Regional Options tab.

Data from the Product and Service Items List cannot be exported by using the comma separated values file (comma separated values file: A text file that contains data that is separated by commas (also known as a comma-delimited file). You can create and save a .csv file in programs such as Notepad or Excel.) (.csv) file format. A list of product and service items can be imported if it is in the .csv file format.

 Tip   Export to Excel To export Accounts or Business Contacts to Excel, complete the following procedure to export the business data. In the Business Data Import and Export wizard, click Comma Separated Values (.csv). The exported .csv file can be opened by using Excel.

Export business data

1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools, and then click Import and Export.
2. Click Export a file, and then click Next.
3. Select the type of file that you want to export to, and then click Next.

    Note   You can also include all the communication history in the exported file. The history includes linked Accounts, Business Contacts, and e-mail messages. You also specify the location and name of file that you export.

4. Follow the instructions in the Business Data Import and Export wizard.

   For assistance while completing a page in the wizard, click the Help button on that page.

   For information about how to export a single Account or Business Contact record, see the Troubleshoot importing and exporting business data in Business Contact Manager topic.

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Use the wizard to update an existing database with information from another database

You can use the Business Data Import and Export wizard to update an existing database with information from another Business Contact Manager database. Do the following:

1. Back up your current database. Data from a another, or source database will be added to your current database when you complete this procedure.

   How?

   1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools, and then click Manage Database.
   2. On the Backup/Restore tab, click Back Up Database.

    Note   For more information about how to back up your database, see Back up Business Contact Manager data. By default, in Windows XP, the backup copy of the database is saved to: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My Business\Backups. In Windows Vista, the backup copy of the database is saved to: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Business\Backups.

2. Select the source database. The source database contains the business data that you want to import into your current database.

   How?

   1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools.
   2. Click Create or Select a Database.

      The Select an existing database option is selected by default.

   3. Type the location (or computer name) of the source database, and then click Connect.

       Note   If the source database is stored on another computer, the database must be shared before you can connect to it.

   4. Select the name of the source database, and then click Next.
3. Export the source database.

   How?

   1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools, and then click Import and Export.
   2. Click Export a file, and then click Next.
   3. Select Business Contact Manager data (.bcm), and then click Next.
   4. Select Export Everything, or what data you want to export, and then click Next.
   5. Type a location for the exported file, and select the options that you want under Export History and Export Products.
   6. Follow the instructions on your screen.
4. After your export has been completed, restore the original database.

   How?

   1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools, and then click Manage Database.
   2. On the Backup/Restore tab, click Restore Database, and follow the instructions.
5. Import the source database without duplicates.

   How?

   1. On the Business Contact Manager menu, point to Database Tools, and then click Import and Export.
   2. Click Import a file, and then click Next.
   3. Select Business Contact Manager data (.bcm).
   4. Browse to the source file that you previously created, select Update duplicates, and then select whether to include communication history items or customizations.

  Notes  

• Importing or exporting business data to or from different regions of the world is not recommended because some data structures and types are not convertible.
• Before you begin to import, back up your Business Contact Manager for Outlook data. The import process cannot be reversed, except by manually deleting the imported data.
• To import Product and Service items, use the Import tool in the Product and Service Items List.
• Before you begin to export, back up your export file. The export process cannot be reversed, except by manually deleting the exported data.

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