Solution to Last Name, First Name in Outlook Problem?

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Level 1

10 points

Solution to Last Name, First Name in Outlook Problem?

This problem has been discussed in this forum before, but I have not seen a real solution yet.

When I sync contacts from my iPhone to Outlook on a PC, the non-Outlook-originated contacts (created in a Mac Address Book or on the iPhone)have reversed first and last names in Outlook. That requires correcting them manually in Outlook, a time-consuming task.

Some have suggested renewing the sync history for the iPhone on the PC before syncing, but that doesn't fix the problem for me.

I'm thinking that maybe Outlook creates contacts with different coding than the iPhone or Address Book, but that's just speculation on my part.

Is there any fix to that problem that currently exists? Without one, I dread syncing contacts to my PC knowing how much clean-up work in Outlook it will require.

G5, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Aug 27, 2007 11:54 AM

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Answer 1

mikeab

Level 2

255 points

Aug 27, 2007 12:34 PM in response to harveyrawn

I believe that this is an option that you can select in Outlook and it is subsequently conveyed to the iPhone during the iTunes process.

Try:

On the Tools menu,
click Options,
and then click Contact Options.
In the Default "file as" order list,
click the order that you want to use to sort your contacts.

I have over 1000 contacts. If I had to do what you did, i.e., change everything, that would be tough.

Try this. It worked for me. Good Luck!!

mikeab 🙂

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Answer 2

harveyrawn Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 27, 2007 12:54 PM in response to mikeab

Thanks for your reply, but that process is different than my problem. I have selected the order in Outlook that you described. However, after the syncing I mentioned, my original Outlook contacts have first name, last name, in correct order while those imported from the iPhone are reversed.

The solution, if one exists, seems to be outside of Outlook somewhere.

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Answer 3

mikeab

Level 2

255 points

Aug 27, 2007 12:57 PM in response to harveyrawn

Sorry about that -

Under Setting > Phone > ...under contacts it allows you to set the Sort Order, Last, First, etc. -

Also allows you to set the display order on the screen.

If this doesn't work, I do not know what to say.

mikeab 🙂

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Answer 4

Aug 27, 2007 1:01 PM in response to harveyrawn

Mine works perfectly...I have all three settings exactly the same...Outlook=Last,First, iPhone-Settings-Phone-Contacts (Sort & Display) are Last, First. With this, all of my contacts are Last, First. I use Outlook 03.

Good Luck!

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Answer 5

bnbzone

Level 2

405 points

Aug 27, 2007 2:09 PM in response to harveyrawn

why sync'ing think of it like a spreadsheet for contacts, each item is listed under a different field.. So if I understood correctly it is reversing the process and placing last names to first and such. Due to the process of fields this should not be happening since the computer only recognizes the text in a field and just basically transfers it to the corresponding field or creates a new field within your outlook database.

Hope this helps give you a greater understanding of the process

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Answer 6

harveyrawn Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 27, 2007 3:16 PM in response to mikeab

mikeab,

No my problem was not solved, maybe I didn't express myself clearly. The name reversal happens in Outlook, not on the iPhone. I understand and use the phone settings, they work great. I also understand databases, field headers, field names, etc.

It's Outlook on my PC that gets the names reversed, but only for contacts that were not created originally in Outlook on the PC.

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Answer 7

mikeab

Level 2

255 points

Aug 27, 2007 3:56 PM in response to harveyrawn

See if bnbzone's explanation immediately below provides further insight to your problem.

I am having a hard time understanding why what I conveyed and what SFC @rcher said is not resolving your problem. It works and I just redid my sort criteria and it worked fine. I normally run last name first and first name last but changed it to first name first and last name last. No issue.

mikeab 🙂

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Answer 8

harveyrawn Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 27, 2007 4:23 PM in response to mikeab

mikeab,

The problem, the reversed names, is in the Contacts directory in Outlook on my PC running XP. It is caused by syncing contacts from the iPhone that were not created in Outlook on the PC.

Hope that clarifies the situation - it's a PC problem that results from interaction with the iPhone.

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Answer 9

mikeab

Level 2

255 points

Aug 27, 2007 4:33 PM in response to harveyrawn

What are you using to convert on the PC?

I had a similar problem but used the CardScan software that I already had to convert over from the Palm Desktop to Outlook. It allows me to still maintain my old Palm Desktop at the same level as Outlook.

Not recommending that you buy a CardScan - not inexpensive.

So, again, what are you using for the conversion?

mikeab 🙂

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Answer 10

harveyrawn Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 27, 2007 4:59 PM in response to mikeab

mikeab,

I am not doing any conversion on the PC. I am syncing contacts with my iPhone. The contacts that are on the phone that were created somewhere other than the PC wind up being reversed in Outlook on the PC following the syncing.

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Answer 11

rkkeller

Level 1

137 points

Aug 28, 2007 11:58 AM in response to harveyrawn

Sync the contacts, correct them in Outlook and from now on enter the contacts only with Outlook if you can.

I have that problem too once in a while and just manually correct it. You only have to do it once and just for the name and it takes 2 seconds per contact.

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Answer 12

Aug 28, 2007 12:12 PM in response to harveyrawn

Harvey...if i understand you correctly, the names you create on iPhone are reversing themselves when you sync and display them backwards in outlook?

Try two bogus entries in the iPhone...Build the first address by following the suggested grayish commands, i.e. first name box...but first name etc.

Entry number two...put the last name in the first name box and first name in last name box and then sync.

See which one comes out correct in outlook

Mine is set up with Last name first and when I open the add new contact it shows that order in the window, but when I select the box to enter the name, its asking for the first name first. I just want to see which one is working for you, then we can go from there.

Good Luck!

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Answer 13

harveyrawn Author

Level 1

10 points

Aug 28, 2007 5:43 PM in response to harveyrawn

SFC,

Here's what happened. I created two bogus contacts in iPhone. One in the order of First Name, Last Name. The second reversed the order to Last Name, First Name.

After syncing with Outlook, both new entries reversed the order vs. iPhone and placed a comma between them, i.e. Last,First and First,Last.

In other words, Outlook reverses the order of new contacts, attempting to show the last name first. Hope you're not too confused by this.

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Answer 14

Aug 29, 2007 9:33 AM in response to harveyrawn

Harvey...I am not completely at a loss. The only other advise I can give you is to clear your sync history in iTunes. Fix all of your entries in Outlook the way you want them and the sync. It is going to be a long process to fix if you have alot of names. I think the programming is confused between A & B and it does not know which is the correct format. By starting over and getting rid of old data, it should be able to fix itself. I always go by last name first in my address books and so have never had any issues. Wish I had better answers for you but that is all I have for now.

Good Luck!

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Answer 15

mikeab

Level 2

255 points

Aug 27, 2007 2:04 PM in response to harveyrawn

harveyrawn -

Was your problem solved?

mikeab 🙂

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