chasbronson

Q: Why can't I simply export Contacts to a Spreadsheet???

Contacts lets you export Contacts to a .vcf or.abba file.  So what???  I want to export to a spreadsheet so I can use my data elsewhere.  I do not want to export to Gmail or Yahoo Mail and then re-export from there.

 

Why is this operation so difficult, Apple?

 

And then ... to what "Community" should this question be posted....Ugh.....

MacBook

Posted on Oct 28, 2015 5:13 AM

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Q: Why can't I simply export Contacts to a Spreadsheet???

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  • by Wayne Contello,Apple recommended

    Wayne Contello Wayne Contello Oct 28, 2015 9:49 AM in response to chasbronson
    Level 6 (19,017 points)
    iWork
    Oct 28, 2015 9:49 AM in response to chasbronson

    Contacts are protected information (you should be happy about this).  Therefore, you have to allow access to Contact by opening  "System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy"

     

    than select "Contacts" on the left, then check the checkbox for Numbers in the list of applications.  This is explicitly allowing Numbers to access contact information.

     

    If Numbers is not in the list, open contact, select some contacts, and drag them to a sheet in Numbers, then go back to System preferences to see if Numbers is in the list.

  • by chasbronson,

    chasbronson chasbronson Nov 2, 2015 12:07 PM in response to Wayne Contello
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 2, 2015 12:07 PM in response to Wayne Contello

    Wayne - I apologize for not responding the minute I tried your suggested remedy.

     

    Thanks for the tip.  I was able to add Numbers to the List, and then I was able to immediately download Contacts to a Numbers sheet.  I am flabbergasted that it took me years and years to find this simple option.  And I am surprised at the ineffective instructions from Apple help and from "geniuses" in a variety of Apple stores.  Nobody has ever suggested anything other than exporting into a .vcf or a .abbu file.  Ugh.

     

    The problem with the Numbers solution is that Contacts exported any available image (our mugshots) into Column A.  Column B is empty.  Column C is last name.  And Column D is first name.   If there was no image in Contacts, then Column A is last name.   Column B is empty.  And Column C is first name.  So, every thing is shifted.  I have to sort and then manually cut and shift.  Paid in the neck.

     

    Second, this Numbers sheet has 93 columns.  I believe Contacts has 159.

     

    Any ideas?

     

    Charles

     

    ps: Thank you very much for your response from last week Wayne.  I appreciate it!

  • by Wayne Contello,

    Wayne Contello Wayne Contello Nov 2, 2015 12:22 PM in response to chasbronson
    Level 6 (19,017 points)
    iWork
    Nov 2, 2015 12:22 PM in response to chasbronson

    I cannot reproduce the results your are describing.

     

    In Contacts I select all contacts, copy

     

    then I switch to Numbers, click on the sheet canvas (the white background), then paste

    Contacts with pictures have a picture in Column A, Last Name in B, First Name in C, etc

    Image

    Last Name

    First Name

    Middle Name

    Suffix

    Job Title

    Organization

    Phone : Other

    Phone : Mobile

    Phone : Work

    Phone : Home

    Phone : Pager

    Phone : EX-RadioPhone

    Email : Other

    Email :

    Address : Home : Street

    Address : Home : City

    Address : Home : State

    Address : Home : Country

    Address : Home : ZIP

    Address : Work : Street

    Address : Work : City

    Address : Work : State

    Address : Work : Country

    Address : Work : ZIP

    Note