Export Exchange Global Address List - Access

Exporting the Exchange Global Address List with Microsoft Access

Outlook itself lacks a direct feature for exporting the Exchange Global Address List to a usable file format. Furthermore, the search functionality within Outlook doesn't offer sorting options, which can be frustrating for users.

For instance, if you need to identify all personnel located in the Houston office, sifting through the complete list is inefficient. While requesting an export from your Exchange administrator is possible, a simpler method utilizing Microsoft Access is readily available.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that you are working on a computer where Outlook is installed and properly configured. This is a necessary condition for the import process to function correctly.

Begin by launching Access and creating a new, blank database. This will serve as the container for the imported data.

Initiating the Import Process

Navigate to the "File" menu and select "Get External Data," then choose "Import." A standard file selection dialog will appear.

Within this dialog, locate and select the dropdown menu labeled "Files of type." From the list, choose "Exchange()".

Selecting "Exchange()" will automatically initiate the "Import Exchange/Outlook Wizard." This wizard guides you through the import procedure.

Selecting the Global Address List

Within the wizard, navigate the tree structure to locate and select the Global Address List. Then, click "Next" to continue.

It's important to note that this same method can be used to export other lists if needed, offering flexibility in data retrieval.

Specifying Data Storage

The wizard will then prompt you to specify where the imported data should be stored. If this is your first time performing this import, select the option to create a "New table."

Alternatively, you can choose to append the data to an existing table, but for this process, importing into a new table is the most straightforward approach.

Completing the Import

Once the import is complete, you will find the new table within your Access database. This table will contain a complete copy of the Exchange Global Address List.

The imported data is now readily available for analysis, sorting, and filtering within Microsoft Access, providing a convenient solution to the limitations of Outlook's native functionality.