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User profile for user: PauloGuedes
PauloGuedes Author
User level: Level 1
3 points

Import CSV file to AddressBook

Whats is the structure (field names) of a CSV file that can be imported to AddressBook?

Thank You,
Paulo.

MacBookAir3,2, Mac OS X (10.6.5), MacBookAir3,2

Posted on Jan 26, 2011 6:19 AM

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14 replies
User profile for user: Dan Finazzo
Dan Finazzo
User level: Level 1
4 points

Feb 26, 2011 11:39 AM in response to varjak paw

I have an Excel File saved in .cvs format with the following headers

name, address, city, state zip and phone number

and when I try in import it directly into Address Book:

1. it will not allow various fields to be imported
2. imports fields in the incorrect areas
3. Marks certain fields with Do Not Import

It there not a simple way to tell Address Book which fields go where on an import. I believe the programmer for this product is being paid way too much or is delusional!! Dumming down this product has made simple things impossible - anyone lightening. This should not be rocket science - rant off and waiting to receive my medicine!!
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User profile for user: Geniecommands
Geniecommands
User level: Level 1
4 points

Mar 12, 2011 4:55 PM in response to Dan Finazzo

I think the problem with simple import these days is the extended use of XML which in my case required a label next to the imported field before Address book would import. To Developers can you please add an import type that will find wild characters except comma and tab and excluded them also it would be helpful if addressbook could import without the need to transpose.

Had a customer ask me to import all the CC addresses from an email into Addressbook and this is what I had to do.

1. Saved the email to desktop opened with Textedit and copied addresses.
2. Opened Excel and selected under edit Paste Special, then in this dialog box ticked Transposed
The End result should be the address flow downwards
3. Now we need to clean the data select find Command+F and click the replace button
Search for < and replace with NUL (nothing not even a space) also do this with > and with a
space (press once on keyboard) and click the Replace All button each time it will tell you how many it replaced
4. Click on the top of the "A" column it should highlight the whole thing then goto pull down menu Insert->Cells
5. In box A1 Type "Email (Work)", copy this and highlight with shift all the A cells down and paste to the last email address
6. Save as Excel .CSV file
7. Make a new group in Addressbook and highlight before importing
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User profile for user: Eric Root
Eric Root
User level: Level 10
684,567 points

Feb 5, 2014 9:42 AM in response to Prean

Contacts help:


Import contacts from other file types


Import contact information saved or exported from other apps. The files can be in LDAP Interchange Format (LDIF) or text format (tab-delimited or comma-separated value (CSV)).

  1. If you’re importing a tab-delimited or CSV file, make sure it’s formatted correctly using a text editor such as TextEdit.
    • Remove any line breaks within a contact’s information.
    • Make sure that fields in a tab-delimited file are separated by a tab, instead of by another character. Don’t include spaces before or after tabs.
    • Make sure that fields in a CSV file are separated by a comma, instead of by another character. Don’t include spaces before or after commas.
    • Make sure all addresses have the same number of fields. Add empty fields as needed.
  2. In Contacts, choose File > Import, select the file, change the encoding if necessary, then click Open.
  3. If you’re importing a text file, review the field labels.
    • If the first card contains headers, make sure the headers are correctly labeled or marked “Do not import.” Any changes you make to this card are made to all cards in the file. To not import the headers card, select “Ignore first card.”
    • To change a label, click the arrows next to the label and choose a new label. If you don’t want to import a field, choose “Do not import.”


When you import contacts to an Exchange account, information that isn’t supported is added to the Notes field.

Custom fields aren’t imported.

To review duplicate contact cards during an import, see:

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Import CSV file to AddressBook

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