In Microsoft Word, why isn't the "Categories" field available when I import my Outlook address book?

When you use the Microsoft Outlook Contacts list as a data source for a Microsoft Word mail merge, the Outlook "Categories" field is not available for insertion into the document as a merge field. In Microsoft Word 2000, 2002, and 2003, the converter that turns the Outlook address book into a format suitable for a Word mail merge transfers only 40 of the more than 80 pre-defined Outlook fields; in Word 2007, the converter transfers significantly more fields but still does not transfer the "Categories" field.

To use your Contacts from a particular Outlook category in a Word mail merge, use one of the following methods:

Use Outlook to merge your Contacts list

This method merges your Contacts into a Microsoft Word document; see the "Using Outlook" sections of About mail merges using Microsoft Office in Windows.

Export the Contacts folder

To export the Contacts folder as a text file:

1. In Outlook 2010, from the File menu, select Open, and then Import.

   In earlier versions of Outlook, from the File menu, select Import And Export... .

2. In the Import And Export Wizard, select Export to a file, and then click Next.
   
   
3. Select either Comma Separated Values (Windows) or Tab Separated Values (Windows), and click Next. (You may be prompted to install a translator at this point.)
   
   
4. In the Export to a File dialog box, select the Contacts folder and click Next.
   
   
5. Beside the "Save exported file as:" field, click Browse... and choose a name and place for the file. Click OK and then Next.
   
   
6. Click Map Custom Fields... .
   
   
7. Select all the fields you want to export, including Categories, and click OK.
   
   
8. Click Finish to export the data.

You can use the resulting file as a Word mail merge data source.

Create a new Contacts folder

You can create a new Contacts folder that contains only the category you wish to export. To copy only the contacts in the desired category to a new Contacts folder:

1. In Outlook 2010, while viewing your contacts, click on an existing contacts folder and select New Folder. (The existing folders are in a list on the leftmost pane under the heading "My Contacts".)

   In earlier versions of Outlook, from the File menu, select New, and then Folder... .

   Note: In Outlook 2007, you can also select Folder, and then New Folder.

2. In the Create New Folder dialog box, in the "Name:" field, type a name for the new folder.
   
   
3. Under "Folder contains:", choose Contact Items.
   
   
4. Under "Make this folder a subfolder of:" or "Select where to place the folder:", select a location for your new folder, and click OK.
   
   
5. Select your current Contacts folder.
   
   
6. In Outlook 2010, click inside the search field at the top of the center pane to open the "Search" tab. Click Categorized and select the category you want. Then, proceed to step 8.

   In earlier versions of Outlook, from the View menu, select Current View, and then By Category.

7. Expand the category you want so that all the items are visible.
   
   
8. Select all the items in the category that you want to include in your mail merge.
   
   
9. Click the selected contacts, and drag them to the new Contacts folder.
   
   
10. On the menu that appears, click Copy.

You can now use this new folder as a Word mail merge data source.

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