Exporting a Distribution List from Outlook to Excel

October 1, 2010 10:26 AM

I need to export a distribution list from Outlook to Excel (MS 2007 in both cases).

I understand how to save the file using the import/export option under File, and how to deal with it once I have it. My only problem is that I don't "own" the distribution list - I work for a large institution and they maintain the distribution list for my department. I can't just copy and paste the distro list to my own contacts because they have size limits on staff contact lists and this list exceeds the size I have available.

So how do I get to the "Global Address List" from the File --> Import and Export wizard so that I can save the distribution list in the first place?

posted by joannemerriam to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

(duct tape and baling wire alert)

Create a new message to the DL
Expand the DL so that all the individual names are listed in the "To:" field
Copy them into Excel
They'll all be in one cell, so use "Text to Columns" with a semicolon delimeter
Select the whole thing, and copy>Paste Special>Transpose to get it all in one column.

If you're list has more than 16,384 names, you'll have to do it in chunks.


(also, I said this was duct-tapey)
posted by Gorgik at 12:15 PM on October 1, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks. I tried that, and because they are all internal emails Outlook just shows the names and not the email addresses. So what gets pasted is just names.

Duct-tapey is totally fine with me though!
posted by joannemerriam at 1:59 PM on October 1, 2010

I think you might have more success talking to Active Directory directly from Excel, though you'll probably want to adapt an off the shelf script like this one or this one. I'm assuming, since your Outlook can get the group members, that your Windows account will have permissions to get this information from AD.
posted by robertc at 5:28 AM on October 2, 2010