To import all of your Outlook contacts into Business Contact Manager, export them to a Comma Separated Values (.csv) file, and then import them into Business Contact Manager.

Note  When you import Outlook contacts into Business Contact Manager, only the contact information is available in Business Contact Manager; attachments aren't imported.

Export Outlook contacts to a Comma Separated Values file

1. On the File menu, point to Import and Export, and then click Outlook.
2. In the Import and Export wizard, select Export to a file, and then click Next.
3. In Create a file of type, select Comma Separated Values (DOS) or Comma Separated Values (Windows), and then click Next.
4. Follow the instructions in the Import and Export Wizard.

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

Import Outlook contacts into Business Contact Manager

1. On the File menu, point to Import and Export, and then click Business Contact Manager.
2. Click Import a file, and then click Next.
3. On the Select a type of file to import page, select Comma Separated Values (.csv), and then click Next.
4. Follow the instructions in the Business Data Import/Export Wizard.

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

To copy only a few contacts from Outlook in Business Contact Manager, copy the contacts and drag them into the Business Contacts folder.

Note  When you copy Outlook contacts into Business Contact Manager, only the contact information is available in Business Contact Manager; attachments aren't copied.

Copy a contact from Outlook

1. In the Navigation Pane (The column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes panes such as Shortcuts or Mail and the shortcuts or folders within each pane. Click a folder to show the items in the folder.), make sure that Personal Folders and Business Contact Manager are expanded. If you cannot view the contents of one or both folders, click the corresponding plus signs to expand them.
2. On the Navigation Pane, click Contacts.
3. In the Contacts list, select the contact that you want to add and drag it into the Business Contacts folder in Business Contact Manager.

1. On the Standard toolbar, click the arrow next to New , and then click Account.
2. Type the applicable information on the Account form (A way to distribute and collect information electronically. For example, a form can be available for anyone to order supplies or to post information in a public folder. All Outlook items, such as messages and appointments, are based on forms.).

   To get assistance entering information, click Business Contact Manager Help on the Help menu on the form.

3. Click Save and Close.

Note  If you are creating multiple records, click Save and New to save your current information and open an additional form.

1. On the Standard toolbar, click the arrow next to New , and then click Business Contact.
2. Type the applicable information on the Business Contact form (A way to distribute and collect information electronically. For example, a form can be available for anyone to order supplies or to post information in a public folder. All Outlook items, such as messages and appointments, are based on forms.).

   To get assistance entering information, click Business Contact Manager Help on the Help menu on the form.

3. Click Save and Close.

Note  If you are creating multiple records, click Save and New to save your current information and open an additional form.

Opportunities (The chance to sell your products or services to an account.) are chances to sell your products or services. Opportunity records (Where information about the opportunity is stored, including information that is entered on the Opportunity form, linked records, and history items.) in Business Contact Manager help you prioritize your sales information, track your sales process and customer interactions, and forecast your sales.

Link an Opportunity record to either an Account or Business Contact record. As you move through the sales cycle, you can view and update each stage of the opportunity. You can also create progress reports or sort your opportunities to determine which customers need your attention most.

Create an Opportunity record

1. On the Standard toolbar, click the arrow next to New , and then click Opportunity.
2. Type the applicable information on the Opportunity form (A way to distribute and collect information electronically. For example, a form can be available for anyone to order supplies or to post information in a public folder. All Outlook items, such as messages and appointments, are based on forms.).

   To get assistance entering information, click Business Contact Manager Help on the Help menu on the form.

3. Click Save and Close.

Note  If you are creating multiple records, click Save and New to save your current information and open an additional form.

Business Contact Manager automatically links your e-mail messages to the appropriate Account or Business Contact record. You can also manually link other history items, such as appointments, phone logs, tasks (A personal or work-related duty or errand that you want to track through completion.), business notes, and documents to a record.

Manage e-mail linking preferences

You can specify which e-mail messages are automatically linked to an Account or Business Contact history by changing your e-mail linking preferences.

1. On the Business Tools menu (The menu on the Outlook menu bar that provides access to Business Contact Manager functions.), click Link E-mail.
2. Follow the instructions in the Link E-mail Automatically dialog box.

Link a history item to a record

1. On the Business Tools menu (The menu on the Outlook menu bar that provides access to Business Contact Manager functions.), click Accounts, Business Contacts, or Opportunities.
2. Double-click the record that you want to add a new history item to.
3. In the record's History section, click Add.
4. Select the type of history item that you want to add.
5. Complete the form or attach a document, and then click Save and Close.

   To get assistance adding a history item to the record history, click Business Contact Manager Help on the Help menu on the form (A way to distribute and collect information electronically. For example, a form can be available for anyone to order supplies or to post information in a public folder. All Outlook items, such as messages and appointments, are based on forms.).

Business Contact Manager stores product details in the Product Master List. When you import a product list, you can choose to replace or update the Product Master List. If you update the Product Master List, Business Contact Manager overwrites the product details for product names already existing in the Product Master List.

To import a product list, the file must be in Comma Separated Values (.csv) format and follow this format: <ProductName>, <ProductDescription>, <ProductPrice>, <DefaultQty>.

Import a product list

1. On the Business Tools menu, click Product List.
2. In the Edit Product Master List dialog box, click Import.
3. Follow the instructions in the Products Import Wizard.

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