Russ, your directions we
Tools E-mail accounts View or change existing directories or address
books Outlook Address Book Change. Set your sort order there. Be sure
to restart Outlook.

I did this... no luck.

You replied: "Obviously, your File As... field must be in Last, First order
for this to
work."

I checked this possibility, and confirmed that all my Contact entries are
written
"John Doe", and then selected "File As: Doe, John".

Still no luck.

You comment that there is no "To" box in Contacts. I am aware of that. But
there is a "To" entry field box once a message is created from the Contacts
window. Such a message can be created by highlighting or opening any contact
and then touching the New Message to Contact button. In such a message the
address comes up the way I want it: with the adressee listed Last, First
name.

Does this clarify my post ?

Tks ! Neal (viceversa)

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You'll need to clarify your post.
The To: box in a new message window launches the Outlook Address Book.
There is no To: box in the Contacts Folder.
Clarify which view sorts which way.
The instructions I posted will sort the Outlook Address Book by the File
As... field: guaranteed.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Viceversa" wrote in message
...
Tks again MVP. All my Contact entries are selected File As: Last, Fist
order.
If I launch a new message from Contacts then the "To" box shows the
address
labelled in that way, which is fine.

But If I launch a new message in "Mail" and then use "To" it gives me the
whole list of contacts as First, Last, which is what exactly what I don't
want.

Neal (Viceversa)

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

No other suggestions needed. What I posted works if you do it correctly.
Obviously, your File As... field must be in Last, First order for this to
work.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Viceversa" wrote in message
...
MVP, thank you so much for the comment. I am using Outlook 2003 SP2.

I had already tried the procedure you suggest. When I go to
Tools-E-mail
accounts it shows me that I have chosen to sort by Last,First name. I
re-start the program but when I use mail it still presents me the
address
list sorted by First,Last name. Do you have any further suggestions ?

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Method depends on you version, which you should always post.
For most, you'd do so he
Tools E-mail accounts View or change existing directories or
address
books Outlook Address Book Change. Set your sort order there
Be sure to restart Outlook.

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Viceversa" wrote in message
...
I am using Outlook as my e-mail manager for the first time. How can I
get
the
"last, first name" list style when I view my Mail address books ?

In "Contacts, Tools, e-mail accounts" I select "Show names by File
As
(Smith, John)", but from the "Mail" window the directory is still
sorted
by
first, last name !

Thank you so much, anyone who will help.