Little help with a central contact database plz.

BKtje

Right i hope this is right forum, if not please move to where it would get mroe help. I hope i explain this properly as im knew to this stuff.

Company i just started working for wants me to try and create a central contacts database that is preferably accessible and editable through outlook 2000. This database would need to be able to be viewed/ edited by all. Eventuallu this would be integrated into the companies intranet.
We've tried the one built into outlook (global address list i think?) but it seems to be archiving every couple of months (ie it disappears but no archive can be found of it/ or options).

I have tried to create a central database using access 2000 but that can only be linked to one outlook 2000 client. If i try to link it to more i get an translation error and that no tables can be found.
At the moment the only option i have is to create a master contact list database which i update and export to each machine periodically. (is doable as its a small office and contact list doesnt change often) Any one know if its possible in some way to link onc access database to multiple outlook 2000 clients?

Did some googling and believe i found a way to do it using MS exchange 5.5 (which is what is used here). The instructions confused me slightly and as i have no experience with Exchange 5.5 i am wary to start fiddling about. Any one know of a good tutorial/instrutions page?

Basically whats the best way to create this please?
(sorry for long post in a n00bish manner but im really stuck at this stage )

BKtje

Actually made a little headway since my post above.

Got it working properly tho i assume its just gonna delete itself in a couple weeks or whatever time it takes. (hasnt happened since i been here but im told it happens )

Im just gonna back it up once a week to an access database so that if it ever goes we'll only lose a weeks contacts.

Kinda weird that i was able to sort it out so quickly after posting. This has been boggling my mind for the last 3 days

Capt'n Midnight

Exchange 5.5 - drop everything and look up EXMERGE.EXE - lifesaver - you can export everything to pst files - then back to your problem.

You have of course turned off auto-archive on all users who have write access to the dB - and you have to do the same for new users and when existing users get a new profile by logging onto another PC..

In the permissions on the public folder set up users to be only able to delete their own stuff - that way you should be able to ID the culprit

Exchange Admin
into the Server / click on Public Information Store -click on your shared folder - File Properties
main thing to watch out is the propogate to all sub folders tab for permissions on the first page.
You can of course add permissions to Distribution lists - makes it much easier to add / remover users later on without having to sort out the permissions.





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Non Exchange ways:

Another option is to export the list to a PST file and then on logon have users
XCOPY /D \\server\share\list.pst C:\EMAIL\LIST.PST
This way everyone can read the list and if they trash it no worries and the /D means it gets updated if there are changes in the one on the server. (any user changes get zapped on next logon )

Since contacts in outlook are vcf files you could get users to dump them into a common folder and then the admin could add them to the PST file each day (drag / drop)

BKtje

i'll have a look tomorrow when i head in again.
atm i think i got the contacts thing workin with access tho. Just linked the main contacts in outlook to an access database and tweaked a cpl things. Seems to work.
Will try your ways tomoz and see what i get.

Thanks for input