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Like many very happy Sidekick users, I am concerned that at some point, it will no longer work with a new version of Windows and what cold be more than 20 years of calendar data will be orphaned. It is logical to move to Outlook but MS doesn't provide conversion from Sidekick to Outlook 2003 and hasn't since Outlook 1997.
It is possible to move to Outlook but not directly and the interim step describe below needs software that is already out of date Lotus Organizer 5.x).
I propose the following steps that have worked for me:
1) Acquire a Lotus Smartsuite Disk with Organizer 5.x (6.x won't work) that also has the EXTRA files (the Millenium 9.5 edition is ok). Just downloading Organizer 5.x won't provide the EXTRA files needed to convert the SK data.
2) Install Organizer along with EXTRA - ORGANIZE - UPGRADE - SETUP.
3) Let Organizer convert your SK calendar file. Your calendar should appear in Organizer EXCEPT that a glitch in the Lotus Conversion utility (that you got from EXTRA) mishandles the appointment ending times (my appointments were all 14 hours long, many going into the next day).
(Exporting the Lotus calendar into Excel for correction at this point provides complex cells with both date and time that are hard to manipulate.)
4) Save the Lotus Organizer file.
5) IMPORT that file into Outlook. You should have your entire calendar in Outlook, but again, the ending times will be wrong.
6) EXPORT the Outlook calendar into Excel where each variable now has its own column.
7) Set the ending day equal to the starting day. Set the ending time equal to the starting time plue 1/2 hour (30/1440) and reformat to Time from General. Reimport into Outlook making sure that Description ends up in the Subject field and you should have your Sidekick calendar functioning in Outlook and ready to roll.
Good luck.
Peter
It is possible to move to Outlook but not directly and the interim step describe below needs software that is already out of date Lotus Organizer 5.x).
I propose the following steps that have worked for me:
1) Acquire a Lotus Smartsuite Disk with Organizer 5.x (6.x won't work) that also has the EXTRA files (the Millenium 9.5 edition is ok). Just downloading Organizer 5.x won't provide the EXTRA files needed to convert the SK data.
2) Install Organizer along with EXTRA - ORGANIZE - UPGRADE - SETUP.
3) Let Organizer convert your SK calendar file. Your calendar should appear in Organizer EXCEPT that a glitch in the Lotus Conversion utility (that you got from EXTRA) mishandles the appointment ending times (my appointments were all 14 hours long, many going into the next day).
(Exporting the Lotus calendar into Excel for correction at this point provides complex cells with both date and time that are hard to manipulate.)
4) Save the Lotus Organizer file.
5) IMPORT that file into Outlook. You should have your entire calendar in Outlook, but again, the ending times will be wrong.
6) EXPORT the Outlook calendar into Excel where each variable now has its own column.
7) Set the ending day equal to the starting day. Set the ending time equal to the starting time plue 1/2 hour (30/1440) and reformat to Time from General. Reimport into Outlook making sure that Description ends up in the Subject field and you should have your Sidekick calendar functioning in Outlook and ready to roll.
Good luck.
Peter