how to limit which contacts are synced ?

[Guest RichardD]

I have Outlook 2003 on my pc, Active Sync 4.1 installed and an o2 XDA Mini S.

I have more contacts in my Outlook than I'd like stored on the PPC,

is there a way to select which contacts are copied across please ?

[Guest hotphil]

You can categorise your Contacts and then only sync certain categories - Options>Contacts>Settings in ActiveSync shows you.

Of course, you've got to sit and categorise all your Contacts if you haven't already!

[Guest Wombleuk]

Put the ones you want synced into a specific category, then in AS contacts properties, only sync items in the category you want.

[Guest RichardD]

Thanks for the quick response.

I've added a category in OE2003 on my pc.

In ActiveSync "Settings" is greyed out on Contacts, any ideas please ?

[Guest Pondrew]

I believe there is an issue that is new to Windows Mobile 5 devices whereby the ability to choose which contacts are synchronised and which aren't has been removed/no longer functions in Activesync. I can't tell you why nor how to get round it as I don't have a WM5 device myself but there's a thread about the problem from when it was originally reported on an HTC Universal here.

The only thing I can tell you for sure is that it isn't purely an Activesync 4.x issue as I'm running 4.1 here and it allows me to specify which contacts to sync with my Windows Mobile 2003SE devices...

[Guest RichardD]

:cry: that's not very nice of them, ah well.

Might have to sync the lot for now, then turn off the sync contacts option and delete those I don't want on the phone manually.

[Guest Pondrew]

Really wierd how Windows Mobile 5 devices miss out on two Activesync functions that WM2003SE owners can enjoy:

1) Backup/Restore

2) Specifying which contacts to sync

Anyone know if Microsoft have indicated this functionality will return in future releases?

[Guest CrispyUK]

I'm new to PPC, have just received an MDA Vario but had a similar problem, have got several hundred e-mail contacts which I don't want on my device. After a few minutes playing around I seem to have found a workaround (I've only added a few contacts testing it though).

Create a new folder in your Outlook Contacts, mine's called 'e-mail contacts' but call it what you like. Copy all the contacts you don't want to sync into this folder.

Searching and contact autocomplete works from both sets of contact, obviously you can't view them all together on the contacts screen though so no good if you need to do this.