ARCHIVED: Search the Global Address List in Outlook using IMAP

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If you use Outlook to read an email account through IMAP, you will not have access to the Indiana University Global Address List (GAL) by default; however, you can access the GAL by adding it as an LDAP service.

Important:
The IU Exchange Online environment does not support IMAP. See Configure your mail client for Exchange Online.
Note:
These instructions do not apply if Outlook is configured for an Exchange account. When using Exchange, Outlook reads the GAL automatically, and does not need the configuration described below.

On this page:


Configuring the GAL

To configure the GAL through LDAP in Outlook 2016, 2013, and 2010:

  1. Click the File tab. From the Account Settings drop-down menu, select Account Settings....
  2. Select the Address Books tab, and then click New.
  3. Select Internet Directory Service (LDAP), and then click Next.
  4. In the "Server Name:" field, type ads.iu.edu. Under "Logon Information", check This server requires me to log on.
  5. Enter your IU username and passphrase. You must put ads\ before your username, for example:
      ads\username

    Click More Settings....

  6. Click OK when you see "The E-mail account you have just added will not start until you choose Exit from the File menu, and then restart Microsoft Office Outlook".
  7. In the "Port:" field, change 389 to 3269. Check Use Secure Sockets Layer, and then click the Search tab.
  8. In the "Search base:" field, type the following (there are no spaces after the commas):
      dc=ads,dc=iu,dc=edu
  9. Click OK, then Next, and then Finish.
  10. Restart Outlook.

Querying the GAL

After you've configured the GAL (see above), you can now query it from within a message, or from Outlook's address book. To query the GAL from within a message:

  1. Begin a new message by clicking New; alternatively, from the File menu, select New, and then Mail Message.
  2. In the To... line, type the last name, a comma, and then the first name. Press Ctrl-k.
  3. The name should resolve and be underlined. If there are several people with the same name, the "Check Names" dialog box will open with a list of matching names. Select the correct name, and then click OK.

To search through a list of last names, you can either type the first few letters of the first name, or just the first initial. You can leave the first name off entirely, but this may return more than 100 results (by default, Outlook returns only 100 results at a time), or if you've changed the settings in Outlook to allow more than 100 entries, your request may take too long and fail.

To query the GAL from within Outlook's Address Book:

  1. In Outlook, select Tools, and then Address Book.... Due to the size of the GAL, Outlook may take several minutes to complete this command.
  2. When the Address Book opens, the "Show Names from the:" drop-down menu should have ads.iu.edu selected.
  3. In the "Type Name or Select from List:" field, type a username or a last name, a comma, and at least a partial first name.
    Note:
    LDAP searches may take a very long time, and often time out even if you have a fast connection. It is common to experience server timeouts or "This action could not be completed" errors if your search is not specific (for example, if you type only a last name, or just the initial of the first name).

This is document anyb in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2021-04-13 08:32:58.