Converting Outlook to PracticeMaster

Last reviewed: 05/08/2008
Article ID: R10540

The information in this article applies to:

• PracticeMaster Version 14, 12, 11 & 10
• Outlook 2003, 2002 & 2000

Note:  The field order in Outlook can change from version to version.  It is recommended that you verify all PracticeMaster fields line up with the correct Outlook fields prior to importing data when using PracticeMaster Import File Type templates.

SUMMARY

This article outlines how to convert tasks, calendar entries, contacts, e-mails, and note data from Outlook to PracticeMaster. Once this information is imported into PracticeMaster, calendar entries can automatically be integrated to Outlook from PracticeMaster. Details regarding this integration can be found in the Help provided with PracticeMaster.

MORE INFORMATION

Once the information is exported from Outlook, the Import Data utility program included in PracticeMaster will be used to import the data into the PracticeMaster data files.

• Tasks
• Calendar Entries
• Contacts
• E-mails
• Notes
• Field Order

Converting Task Calendar Records

When exporting task calendar records from Outlook, only the calendar records for the workstation you are exporting from will be included in the export file. Therefore, each workstation (user) will need to export their calendar records and then import the records into PracticeMaster.

When importing task calendar records into PracticeMaster's Calendar file, keep the following in mind:

• The Calendar Record Type is set to "T" (task). 
• If a default User ID is specified for the Calendar file in File Maintenance, that User ID will be assigned to the User/Group field of the calendar records being imported. However, if no user is specified as a default in File Maintenance, the User/Group field uses the User ID that is performing the import.

To Export Tasks

1. Start Outlook.
2. Select File | Import and Export.
3. In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Export to a file and click Next.
4. In the Export to a File window, select Comma Separated Values (DOS) and click Next.
5. Select the Tasks folder and click Next.
6. In the Save exported file as field, enter the path and filename you want to save the exported data to and click Next (i.e., F:\STI\CMSYSTEM\CMCALT.EXP).
7. Click Finish.
8. Specify the date range for which the task calendar records are to be exported and click OK. (Note: Recurring tasks will only be exported through the ending export date range.)

To Import Tasks

1. Start PracticeMaster.
2. From the Setup Task Folder, click the File Maintenance icon.
3. Click Yes when prompted to make a backup. The only method to undo an import is to restore from a backup.
4. From the PracticeMaster File Maintenance window, double-click Calendar.
5. On the Utility tab, click the Import Data icon.
6. In the File to be imported field, type CMSYSTEM\CMCALT.EXP and click Next.
7. In the Import Data - Field Mapping window, click the drop-down arrow next to the Import File Type field and select Outlook - Tasks. If using Version 14.1 or lower, click Reset.
8. Verify that the fields in the Import Fields column match the fields in the PM Fields column.
9. When viewing the first record of the import file, select the Skip this record check box.
10. Click Next and then Finish to import the records.
11. Click OK when the import is complete.
12. If an error log is created, view the Error Log Report.

Converting Calendar Entries to Event Calendar Records

When exporting appointments from Outlook, only the calendar records for the workstation you are exporting from will be included in the export file. Therefore, each workstation (user) will need to export their calendar records and then import the records into PracticeMaster.

When importing event calendar records into PracticeMaster's Calendar file, keep the following in mind:

• The Calendar Record Type is set to "E" (event). 
• If a default User ID is specified for the Calendar file in File Maintenance, that User ID will be assigned to the User/Group field of the calendar records being imported. However, if no user is specified as a default in File Maintenance, the User/Group field uses the User ID that is performing the import.

To Export Appointments

1. Start Outlook.
2. Select File | Import and Export.
3. In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Export to a file and click Next.
4. In the Export to a File window, select Comma Separated Values (DOS) and click Next.
5. Select the Calendar folder and click Next.
6. In the Save exported file as field, enter the path and filename you want to save the exported data to and click Next (i.e., F:\STI\CMSYSTEM\CMCAL.EXP).
7. Click Finish.
8. Specify the date range for which the appointments are to be exported and click OK. (Note: Recurring appointments will only be exported through the ending export date range.)

To Import Appointments

1. Start PracticeMaster.
2. From the Setup Task Folder, click the File Maintenance icon.
3. Click Yes when prompted to make a backup. The only method to undo an import is to restore from a backup.
4. From the PracticeMaster File Maintenance window, double-click Calendar.
5. On the Utility tab, click the Import Data icon.
6. In the File to be imported field, type CMSYSTEM\CMCAL.EXP and click Next.
7. In the Import Data - Field Mapping window, click the drop-down arrow next to the Import File Type field and select Outlook - Calendar. If using Version 14.1 or lower, click Reset.
8. Verify that the fields in the Import Fields column match the fields in the PM Fields column.
9. When viewing the first record of the import file, select the Skip this record check box.
10. Click Next and then Finish to import the records.
11. Click OK when the import is complete.
12. If an error log is created, view the Error Log Report.

Converting Contacts to Related Parties

When importing contacts into PracticeMaster, the First and Last name of the Outlook contact will be used for the Related Party Key field. For example, if a contact in Outlook is Jim Johnson, Jim Johnson will be used for the Related Party Key field. (Note:  If you want the middle name to be included in the Related Party Key field, you can modify the mapping in PracticeMaster prior to importing the contacts.)

To Export Contacts

1. Start Outlook.
2. Select File | Import and Export.
3. In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Export to a file and click Next.
4. In the Export to a File window, select Comma Separated Values (DOS) and click Next.
5. Select the Contacts folder and click Next.
6. In the Save exported file as field, enter the path and filename you want to save the exported data to and click Next (i.e., F:\STI\CMSYSTEM\CMRELATE.EXP).
7. Click Finish.

To Import Contacts

1. Start PracticeMaster.
2. From the Setup Task Folder, click the File Maintenance icon.
3. Click Yes when prompted to make a backup. The only method to undo an import is to restore from a backup.
4. From the File Maintenance window, click the + sign next to the Lookup Files to expand the list of Lookup Files.
5. Double-click Related Party.
6. On the Utility tab, click the Import Data icon.
7. In the File to be imported field, type CMSYSTEM\CMRELATE.EXP and click Next.
8. In the Import Data - Field Mapping window, click the drop-down arrow next to the Import File Type field and select Outlook - Contacts. If using Version 14.1 or lower, click Reset.
9. Verify that the fields in the Import Fields column match the fields in the PM Fields column.
10. When viewing the first record of the import file, select the Skip this record check box.
11. Click Next and then Finish to import the records.
12. Click OK when the import is complete.
13. If an error log is created, view the Error Log Report.

Converting E-mails to E-mail Journal Records

When importing E-mail records into PracticeMaster's Journal file, keep the following in mind:

• The Journal Record Type is set to "E" (e-mail). 
• You can import both received and sent e-mail messages from Outlook by individually exporting the Inbox and Sent folders from Outlook. When importing e-mails into PracticeMaster's Journal file, you must specify if you are importing messages that have been received or messages that have been sent. The journal record's Sent/Rec'd field will be set accordingly.
• The User ID field uses the User ID that is performing the import.

To Export E-mails

1. Start Outlook.
2. Select File | Import and Export.
3. In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Export to a file and click Next.
4. In the Export to a File window, select Comma Separated Values (DOS) and click Next.
5. Select the Inbox folder or the Sent folder and click Next.
6. In the Save exported file as field, enter the path and filename you want to save the exported data to and click Next (i.e., F:\STI\CMSYSTEM\CMJRNL.EXP).
7. Click Finish.

To Import E-mails

1. Start PracticeMaster.
2. From the Setup Task Folder, click the File Maintenance icon.
3. Click Yes when prompted to make a backup. The only method to undo an import is to restore from a backup.
4. From the File Maintenance window, click the + sign next to the Common Client Related Files to expand the list of Common Client Related Files.
5. Double-click Journal.
6. On the Utility tab, click the Import Data icon.
7. In the File to be imported field, type CMSYSTEM\CMJRNL.EXP and click Next.
8. In the Import Data - Field Mapping window, click the drop-down arrow next to the Import File Type field and select Outlook - Email. If using Version 14.1 or lower, click Reset.
9. Verify that the fields in the Import Fields column match the fields in the PM Fields column.
10. When viewing the first record of the import file, select the Skip this record check box.
11. Click Next.
12. Select the Sent option when importing e-mails from Outlook's Sent folder.
13. Select the Received option when importing e-mails from Outlook's Inbox.
14. Click Finish to import the records.
15. Click OK when the import is complete.
16. If an error log is created, view the Error Log Report.

Converting Notes to Note Journal Records

When importing Notes into PracticeMaster's Journal file, keep the following in mind:

• The Journal Record Type is set to "N" (note).
• The User ID field uses the User ID that is performing the import.

To Export Notes

1. Start Outlook.
2. Select File | Import and Export.
3. In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Export to a file and click Next.
4. In the Export to a File window, select Comma Separated Values (DOS) and click Next.
5. Select the Notes folder and click Next.
6. In the Save exported file as field, enter the path and filename you want to save the exported data to and click Next (i.e., F:\STI\CMSYSTEM\CMJRNLN.EXP).
7. Click Finish.

To Import Notes

1. Start PracticeMaster.
2. From the Setup Task Folder, click the File Maintenance icon.
3. Click Yes when prompted to make a backup. The only method to undo an import is to restore from a backup.
4. From the File Maintenance window, click the + sign next to the Common Client Related Files to expand the list of Common Client Related Files.
5. Double-click Journal.
6. On the Utility tab, click the Import Data icon.
7. In the File to be imported field, type CMSYSTEM\CMJRNLN.EXP and click Next.
8. In the Import Data - Field Mapping window, click the drop-down arrow next to the Import File Type field and select Outlook - Notes. If using Version 14.1 or lower, click Reset.
9. Verify that the fields in the Import Fields column match the fields in the PM Fields column.
10. When viewing the first record of the import file, select the Skip this record check box.
11. Click Next and then Finish to import the records.
12. Click OK when the import is complete.
13. If an error log is created, view the Error Log Report.

Field Order

The following is provided for reference purposes and lists how the Outlook fields are mapped and imported to the PracticeMaster fields. Modifications can be made to the field mappings as desired.

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, INC. KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, INC. DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, INC. OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, INC. OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

© 1999-2008 Software Technology, Inc.   All rights reserved. Terms of Use
The maker of Tabs3 and PracticeMaster
e-Mail Suggestions for the Knowledge Base to: kb@Tabs3.com
Technical Support via e-mail is not available.
Knowledge Base:   http://support.Tabs3.com
Web Site:   http://www.Tabs3.com