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How can I migrate my data from Palm Desktop to Outlook and Beyond Contacts?

Document ID: 13782	<< Back
Last Reviewed: 2/20/2009 This document applies to: Beyond Contacts
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Question:

How can I migrate my data from Palm Desktop to Outlook and Beyond Contacts?

Answer:

To migrate data from Palm Desktop to Outlook (and Beyond Contacts), you can sync your data from Palm Desktop to the built-in PIM applications on the handheld, and then use the Palm Outlook Conduits to sync the data from those handheld applications to Outlook. Once all your data is in Outlook, you can install Beyond Contacts, which will synchronize with Outlook.

The Palm Outlook Conduits are included in Palm Desktop versions 4.1.4E and 6.2. To see if you have the Palm Outlook Conduits on your computer, go to Start > All Programs > Palm. If there is a folder called "PIM conduit sync" inside the Palm directory, you have the Palm Outlook Conduits.

If you have the Palm Outlook Conduits: Follow the steps in Solution #1 below.

If you do not have the Palm Outlook Conduits: You can download and install the Outlook Conduits from Palm's web site, or from the CD that came with your handheld. Your exact options may depend on your handheld model. See the following Article IDs from Palm's Knowledge Library to determine your best option, and to install the Outlook Conduits:

Palm devices that include Chapura PocketMirror or Palm Outlook Conduits

Switching between Outlook and Palm Desktop synchronization

Installing Palm Outlook Conduits if you do not have the CD that came with your device

If you are using Outlook 2007 on Windows XP: You will need to download and install an update from Palm's web site. This update includes the Palm Outlook Conduits:

Outlook 2007 Update (Windows installer) for Palm OS

Once you have the Palm Outlook Conduits installed, follow the steps in Solution #1 below. Otherwise, skip to Solution #2.

Solution #1 - Using Palm Outlook Conduits

Before following these steps, make sure your Palm Desktop data has been synchronized to the built-in PIM applications on the handheld. Also, if Beyond Contacts is installed on the computer, go to Start > Control Panel > Add Or Remove Programs, and remove (uninstall) Beyond Contacts. Then continue with the following steps:

1. Enable the Outlook conduits by going to Start > All Programs > Palm > PIM conduit sync > Sync with Outlook.
2. Click Yes when asked if you want to sync with Outlook, then click Done when a message says the Outlook conduits have been installed (do NOT synchronize your handheld yet).
3. Click the HotSync icon in the lower-right corner of the computer screen, and select Custom.
4. Set the Palm Outlook Conduits according to one of the following sets of steps:

   If you want to overwrite your Outlook data with the PIM data on the handheld:

   1. Double-click one of the Palm Outlook Conduits (Calendar (Outlook), Contacts (Outlook), Memos (Outlook), Tasks (Outlook), etc).
   2. Select "Handheld overwrites Desktop" (do NOT set this as the default).
   3. Click OK, then repeat these steps for the other Palm Outlook Conduits.
   4. Once all the Palm Outlook Conduits are set to "Handheld overwrites Desktop", click Done to close the Custom window.

   If you want to merge your Outlook data with the PIM data on the handheld:

   1. Double-click one of the Palm Outlook Conduits (Calendar (Outlook), Contacts (Outlook), Memos (Outlook), Tasks (Outlook), etc).
   2. Select "Synchronize the files", and also select the option for "Set as default".
   3. Click OK, then repeat these steps for the other Palm Outlook Conduits.
   4. Once all the Palm Outlook Conduits are set to "Synchronize the files" as the default action, click Done to close the Custom window.
       
5. HotSync the handheld.

If the data from Palm Desktop is now in Outlook, go back into the Custom window and change the Palm Outlook Conduits to "Do Nothing" so they do not conflict with Beyond Contacts (make sure you select the option for "Set as default" so the Palm Outlook Conduits remain disabled). Now you can install Beyond Contacts.

Solution #2 - Export & Import

If you are not able to follow the steps in Solution #1, another way to migrate your data is to export it from Palm Desktop, and then import it into Outlook. However, doing this may cause you to lose some of the properties from some of the records in Palm Desktop. Because of that, Palm recommends doing this as a last resort. However, if you cannot migrate your data by following the steps in Solution #1, exporting and importing may be your best option. See the following Article ID from the Palm Knowledge Library for steps to export data from Palm Desktop:

Export data from Palm Desktop for Windows

To import your exported data into Outlook, refer to the Help documentation of Outlook, or contact Microsoft for help.