Can I build an outlook distribution list from a database and keep it in sync?
We have a database which contains details of our customers. If we update any
email addressess it will be updated in the database. Can I parse through that
update somehow (odbc vba, anything really) through to Outlooks distribution
list, without having to manually update the distribution list?

Hi Jalz. I just need to confirm whether this is a Distribution List item
stored in a Contatcts folder, or a series of Contact items in a Contacts
folder, or the Global Address List in Exchange. The former can be easily
(somewhat easily) synchronized with a database, but it depends on whether you
want to synch this from Outlook, Access, or have this scheduled.

--
Eric Legault - Outlook MVP, MCDBA, MCTS (SharePoint programming, etc.)
Try Picture Attachments Wizard for Outlook:
http://www.collaborativeinnovations.ca
Blog: http://blogs.officezealot.com/legault/


"Jalz" wrote:

Can I build an outlook distribution list from a database and keep it in sync?
We have a database which contains details of our customers. If we update any
email addressess it will be updated in the database. Can I parse through that
update somehow (odbc vba, anything really) through to Outlooks distribution
list, without having to manually update the distribution list?

Hi Eric,

Thank you for your reply, my contacts are actually stored in a FileMaker
database, which I would like to sync with outlook exchange somehow. We have
too many places where we store duplicate info, I am just trying to look at
creating bridges where we can sync the data, possibly through schedules?

Jalz

"Eric Legault [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Hi Jalz. I just need to confirm whether this is a Distribution List item
stored in a Contatcts folder, or a series of Contact items in a Contacts
folder, or the Global Address List in Exchange. The former can be easily
(somewhat easily) synchronized with a database, but it depends on whether you
want to synch this from Outlook, Access, or have this scheduled.

--
Eric Legault - Outlook MVP, MCDBA, MCTS (SharePoint programming, etc.)
Try Picture Attachments Wizard for Outlook:
http://www.collaborativeinnovations.ca
Blog: http://blogs.officezealot.com/legault/


"Jalz" wrote:

Can I build an outlook distribution list from a database and keep it in sync?
We have a database which contains details of our customers. If we update any
email addressess it will be updated in the database. Can I parse through that
update somehow (odbc vba, anything really) through to Outlooks distribution
list, without having to manually update the distribution list?

The key question is where in Outlook do you want to synch this data? A
Public Folder? The GAL? A DL?

It's possible to run code on a schedule but with some caveats:

The Outlook Object Model is unsuitable to run in a Windows service:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;237913

The above approach would be suited to updating a single location in
Exchange. If you want the synch to happen on a client basis - through an
add-in or macro - one technique is to use the ReminderFire event, looking for
a named recurring Task that you detect to run your synch code.

--
Eric Legault - Outlook MVP, MCDBA, MCTS (SharePoint programming, etc.)
Try Picture Attachments Wizard for Outlook:
http://www.collaborativeinnovations.ca
Blog: http://blogs.officezealot.com/legault/


"Jalz" wrote:

Hi Eric,

Thank you for your reply, my contacts are actually stored in a FileMaker
database, which I would like to sync with outlook exchange somehow. We have
too many places where we store duplicate info, I am just trying to look at
creating bridges where we can sync the data, possibly through schedules?

Jalz

"Eric Legault [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

Hi Jalz. I just need to confirm whether this is a Distribution List item
stored in a Contatcts folder, or a series of Contact items in a Contacts
folder, or the Global Address List in Exchange. The former can be easily
(somewhat easily) synchronized with a database, but it depends on whether you
want to synch this from Outlook, Access, or have this scheduled.

--
Eric Legault - Outlook MVP, MCDBA, MCTS (SharePoint programming, etc.)
Try Picture Attachments Wizard for Outlook:
http://www.collaborativeinnovations.ca
Blog: http://blogs.officezealot.com/legault/


"Jalz" wrote:

Can I build an outlook distribution list from a database and keep it in sync?
We have a database which contains details of our customers. If we update any
email addressess it will be updated in the database. Can I parse through that
update somehow (odbc vba, anything really) through to Outlooks distribution
list, without having to manually update the distribution list?