Change how contacts are stored

[glennbtn]

HI

I have around 500 contacts which have been stored as last name, first name. I would like to store them the other way around. I have tried to export to csv which shows in the correct format, but when imported it's always done by last name, first name.

Is there anyway I can change this. Currently running Zimbra enterprise V7

Thanks

Glenn

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by glennbtn

Is there anyway I can change this. Currently running Zimbra enterprise V7

You've posted this question in the Zimbra Desktop forum so my first question would be: what is "Zimbra enterprise V7" - there's no such product. Do you mean Zimbra Desktop or Zimbra Collaboration Server?

[glennbtn]

Oops Sorry. Should be in Zimbra Server

Will try and work out how to move it

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by glennbtn

Will try and work out how to move it

You can't, I'll move it.

After you've exported the contacts, have you deleted them from the account (and emptied the Trash) befopre importing them again?

[glennbtn]

Yes delete them all and cleared it out. Then imported but saved as last name, first name.

There we no options at all regarding saving.

Thanks

[storm]

When you exported the contacts, did you use the 'Account Contacts' type? That would be the best to use (it is the only type that save all data (except tags and photos). You should have a .csv file downloaded.

1) Open the .csv file in a text editor or spreadsheet application.

2) One should see a field column labelled 'fileAs'.

3) Change the value for each contact - in the 'fileAs' column - to the desired number from the following list:

(Blank) = Last, First
1 = Last, First
2 = First Last
3 = Company
4 = Last, First (Company)
5 = First Last (Company)
6 = Company (Last, First)
7 = Company (First Last)
8 = Custom - one must type: 8:<custom string>

4) Import the resulting CSV file (as 'Account Contact' type).

RELATED BUGS

Unfortunately, Zimbra doesn't currently permit users to change the default fileAs setting.

Vote for these bugs if they would help you:

Allow user to change default fileAs value:
https://bugzilla.zimbra.com/show_bug.cgi?id=8723

Allow user to add custom fileAs string (when creating a contact):
https://bugzilla.zimbra.com/show_bug.cgi?id=3218

Add fileAs strings for Nickname and Company (Department).
https://bugzilla.zimbra.com/show_bug.cgi?id=41681

LOST DATA

When exporting and importing two types of data are lost: tags and contact photos. I'm not aware of a convenient way to backup and restore contact photos, but you can preserve the tags:

When importing one can add a field/column labelled 'Category' and include tag names there (separated by commas).

When exporting one can export using 'Yahoo contacts' type - this will include contact tags (but exclude other information one may want).

As a workaround, one could export both Yahoo-type and account-type and copy to the Category column from the Yahoo-type .csv file to the account-type file.