Import Shared Contacts into GAL

[awlittle26]

I have a group of Contacts that need to be shared for all users. They are shared at the moment in a public Folder "XYZ Contacts" These do not show up when you click on Address Book or try to add clicking the To: or CC: button when composing a message.

I would like to import these contacts into the Global Address List that looks to be available in the Address Book and when you are composing and new Message.

Any thoughts or ideas?

-Allen

 

[MarkArnold]

You don't actually need to import them into the GAL unless you have other needs.
To do this with PF Contacts:
Right click on the Public Folder and select properties. There should be a tab called Outlook Address Book. Make sure that is ticked and that the name (you'll see where I mean) is something obvious and relevant.
Then go to the clients and click Tools, Accounts and find your way to Address books. I can't be more precise than that because Microsoft have moved things quite a bit across the client versions. Add the public folder to the Outlook Address Book. That will, when you tick the tick, allow the client to search the PF before throwing an unknown-user at them.

However, if you do want them in AD then CSVDE is your friend. See:

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/Logon/Logon_CSVDE.htm

for some good information. There are other sources around so just google for CSVDE or LDIFDE. That last one probably isn't what you want because it's formatted differently. At least with CSVDE you can do an export from your PF to a CSV format and then change the headings row to match your requirements. Once you import into AD you'll see them, after a delay, in the GAL.