Understanding Importing Unicode CSV files from Outlook.com, Hotmail, Windows Live Mail

Outlook.com (aka Windows Live Mail, Hotmail etc) generates a unicode text file when exporting contacts to a CSV text file. This file generates a MAPI translation error when attempting to import it into Outlook.

If this is the cause of the problem, it can be easily identified by opening the CSV file in Excel which will result in one of the two following things to occur

Scenario #1

1. The Excel <Text Import Wizard> will be immediately displayed at which point the file must be identified as being
   a)  delimited
   b) set the delimiter to a “comma” (the default is <Tab> so be sure to uncheck that option after selecting <comma>
2. The file should now open correctly in Excel with all fields properly delimited
3. Re-save the worksheet as a CSV file ensuring to change the <File Type> from <Unicode Text> to <CSV (comma delimited)
4. use the newly saved file to import the data into Outlook

Scenario #2 (where non-North American Windows is in use)

1. The Excel <Text Import Wizard> does not appear and the file is immediately opened in Excel
2. In this case, the header row will have all the fields contained in the first column instead of being properly split across multiple columns
3. Close Excel – do NOT re-save this file
4. Open the original CSV file in NotePad and immediately save the file.
5. Open the file from Step <2d) in Excel at which point the Excel <Text Import Wizard> should appear
6. follow the steps as described in Scenario #1

This could be equally applicable to any 3rd party application that generates any output file as a <Unicode Text> file. The same steps should be followed as described above.

Importing these types of files with any of the ContactGenie programs (QuickPort, DataPort) resulted in an error being encountered reading the Header row. All CG programs have been updated to intercept this type of file as of Dec. 23, 2012 generating an information message instead of an error.