GUIDE to the Database field differences between Outlook & Google Contacts (syncing)

spectrrr · November 17th, 2009, 03:12 AM

Alright folks, ANYONE who is syncing their contacts between Outlook and the Google Contacts cloud, whether it be a one time move or an every day sync, NEEDS TO KNOW this information to protect the integrity of your contact data!

I started writing this guide simply because I could not find this information anywhere on the web (although it probably exists somewhere). This guide analyzes the difference between the available information fields in Outlook Contacts VS Google Contacts, and then by a process of experimentation, determined which fields will sync, and which fields will be LOST in the transfer.

NOT ALL INFORMATION WILL TRANSFER FROM OUTLOOK TO GOOGLE,
AND
NOT ALL INFORMATION WILL TRANSFER FROM GOOGLE TO OUTLOOK!

First, the disclaimer: This test was performed using the CompanionLink Software. It was the only software I could find that reliably synced my contacts back and for in a no-nonesense manner. It also appeared to be the best developed and most professional. This is EXTREMELY important information, because different syncing software can have different standards for data translation. Some things of course cannot be translated at all, regardless of the software. For example, Google will allow you to have 29 home phone numbers, IF you wanted to.... but Outlook simply does not have the fields available for this!
Sync Microsoft Outlook with your Google account and your phone | CompanionLink

Because the structure and organization of Google Contacts is very different from Outlook contacts, I have broken the results up into two sections. 1) Outlook to Google, and 2) Google to Outlook. If you are syncing your contacts regularly between outlook and Google, you will need to follow the guidelines contained in BOTH sections with regards to creating and editing your contacts.

Without further delay, here is the detailed results of my testing.

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~~~~~~~~~ Outlook to Google Contacts: ~~~~~~~~~

Please note that while outlook will say “Home, Home 2”, Google only says “Home, Home” with no number delineation. Thus to maintain clarity, I have added a number in [brackets] to denote what order the contact information will appear in Google’s (and your phone’s) list.

First info group: (Everything syncs normally)
...... Full name ==> syncs
...... Company ==> syncs
...... Job title ==> syncs
Internet:
...... Email 1 ==> Work
...... Display as 1 ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Email 2 ==> Home
...... Display as 2 ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Email 3 ==> Other
...... Display as 3 ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Web address ==> syncs as “Home Page”, ALSO makes a copy in the “notes” field.
...... IM Address ==> ==> syncs to Google as “IM 1 Google Talk”, BUT NOT Android
Phone Numbers
...... Assistant ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Business ==> Work [1]
...... Business 2 ==> Work [2]
...... Business Fax ==> Work Fax
...... Callback ==> Home [3]
...... Car ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Company ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Home ==> Home [1]
...... Home 2 ==> Home [2]
...... Home Fax ==> Home Fax
...... ISDN ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Mobile ==> Mobile
...... Other ==> Other
...... Other Fax ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Pager ==> Pager
...... Primary ==> Work [3]
...... Radio ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Telex ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... TTY/TDD ==> DOES NOT SYNC
Addresses (everything syncs normally)
...... Business ==> syncs
...... Home ==> syncs
...... Other ==> syncs
Notes: synced normally
Details tab:
...... Department ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Office ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Profession ==> DOES NOT SYNC
...... Managers name ==> syncs to Google, but NOT Android
...... Assistants name ==> syncs to Google, but NOT Android
...... Nickname ==> syncs
...... Spouse ==> syncs to Google, but NOT Android
...... Title ==> syncs
...... Suffix ==> syncs
...... Birthday ==> syncs, ALSO makes a copy in the “notes” field
...... Anniversary ==> syncs, ALSO makes a copy in the “notes” field
...... Internet free-busy ==> DOES NOT SYNC

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~~~~~~~~~ Google to Outlook Contacts: ~~~~~~~~~

Please note that Google only says “Home, Home, Home” etc. with the only delineation being the order on the screen, and no numbers, While outlook will say “Home, Home 2” etc., Thus to maintain clarity, I have added a number in [brackets] to denote what order the contact information appears in Google’s (and your phone’s) list.

Full name ==> (Everything syncs normally)
Nickname ==> syncs
Position Title ==> syncs
Company ==> syncs
Email:
...... Work ==> Email 1
...... Home ==> Email 2
...... Other ==> Email 3
Phone Numbers
...... Home [1] ==> Home
...... Home [2] ==> Home 2
...... Home [3] ==> Callback
...... Mobile ==> Mobile
...... Work [1] ==> Business
...... Work [2] ==> Business 2
...... Work [3] ==> Primary
...... Work Fax ==> Business Fax
...... Home Fax ==> Home Fax
...... Pager ==> Pager
...... Other ==> Other
...... NOTE: These are the only fields the will sync! ALL OTHER SUBSEQUENT FIELDS WILL NOT SYNC TO OUTLOOK. So if you make a “Work [4]”, or “Mobile [2]” field, THEY WILL NOT SYNC!
Addresses
...... Home ==> Home
...... Work ==> Business
...... Other ==> Other
...... NOTE: These are the only fields the will sync! ALL OTHER SUBSEQUENT FIELDS WILL NOT SYNC TO OUTLOOK. So if you make a “Home [2]”, or “Work [2]” field, THEY WILL NOT SYNC!
Birthday ==> syncs
Anniversary ==> syncs
Notes ==> First note syncs [1], all subsequent notes [2+] do not sync.
Website [1+] ==> DOES NOT SYNC
NOTE: NONE of the Google Custom Title fields will sync! If you create a phone number and assign it to a “custom” category instead of the traditional “home, work, mobile, other, etc.”, this number WILL NOT sync to outlook. FURTHERMORE, it is a very likely possibility that THE ENTIRE CONTACT WILL NOT SYNC TO OUTLOOK.

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doublebullout · November 18th, 2009, 06:32 AM

Very nice. This should be a sticky or part of a FAQ somewhere. Thanks!

spectrrr · December 13th, 2009, 02:20 AM

monthly bump for new users.

iPhone2Droid · December 19th, 2009, 09:43 PM

Desktop Software:

- Keep your life in sync with The Missing Sync for Android from Mark/Space

- OggSync - Sync Google Calendar and Contacts with Outlook and Windows Mobile Device Sync (including Microsoft Office)
I had been been using this one, long before my Android adventure, ignoring the separate component for winmo devices. Didn't have to change anything when the Droid came onboard. Syncs occur as usual between my Droid and Google. OggSync handles the syncs between OL and Google, including multiple calendars. After initial setup, it's a hands-off affair. (always-on pc connection)

Thanks for posting the guide, but I'll confess-- I prefer an easy out on this one.

TXLady · December 20th, 2009, 08:18 PM

I decided that, based on the above and other research, that Ogg Sync is what I need to sync contacts and calendar between Outlook and Google. So far, not impressed. The trial version does not sync contacts, only calendar (and only 3 days worth) so I can’t even try it out without buying it. I bit and purchased the Pro Version using Pay Pal, expecting to be able to load it tonight and try it out. Even though I received confirmation from Pay Pal a half hour ago, so far nothing from Ogg Sync to tell me how to activate. I’m used to receiving confirmation within at most 5 minutes when I order other software on-line using Pay Pal and I frequently purchase from other small vendors. I expect the excuse will be that today is Sunday and they can’t process my order until tomorrow but that just doesn’t cut it in this day and age. This does not give me great confidence in support for this product if I’m ever able to start using it. I also agree with other users that say $29.95 for a one year subscription is a bit high. At this point, the product would have to FAR exceed my expectations to make it worth renewing a subscription. I’m very disappointed right now.

TXLady · December 21st, 2009, 12:59 PM

Okay, issue resolved -- all I needed to do was enter my paypal email address and my product was activated. It does indeed appear to sync all contacts and calendar entries but time will tell how it works between google and Outlook. Of course, once everything is in Google, no problem getting it to the Droid.

spectrrr · December 22nd, 2009, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPhone2Droid

Thanks for posting the guide, but I'll confess-- I prefer an easy out on this one.

I think you fine folks have misunderstood the purpose of the guide, since an "easy out" simply does not and cannot exist. It has nothing to do with syncing your contacts manually (way too much work!), or what specific program you use, and everything to do with knowing what fields you CAN use and how.

FOR EXAMPLE what happens when you create a new contact in your Droid and give that contact 20 different home phone numbers? CLEARLY outlook cannot support this, the fields to sync 20 home phone numbers does not exist. So what happens to the other 17? Sure 20 is extreme... but there are plenty of real-world examples as well, and more than a few of them existed in my contact db when I started the transition.

That is the question that I attempted to address in my guide, so that regardless of the sync product used, you could use proper data entry guidelines to ensure that the data was properly replicated across all sources.

mobibob · April 5th, 2010, 09:24 AM

Great post. I found it on my first search and it is exactly what I wanted. I hope you maintain this across releases in some static table somewhere. Also, I appreciated the follow-on posts regarding the sync apps; it is a good addendum to your testing.