OL2000: (CW) Changing the "File As" Order of Contacts

Contacts are listed in the Address Book in "Firstname, Lastname" order by default. You set this order in the properties of the Outlook Address book.

To change the File As order to Lastname, Firstname modify the properties of the Outlook Address Book (OAB) service. If the OAB is not installed follow the steps immediately below, otherwise continue to the next section titled "To Sort Based on the File As Field."

To Add the Outlook Address Book

To add the Outlook Address Book and configure as an e-mail address book, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Services. Click Add. Click Outlook Address Book, and then click OK.
2. On the Services tab, click OK.
3. On the File menu, click Exit and Log Off.
4. Restart Outlook.
5. Right-click the Contacts icon in the Outlook Bar, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
6. Click the Outlook Address Book tab; then click to select the Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book check box, and then click OK.

To Sort Based on the File As Field

To configure the Outlook Address Book to sort based on the Contacts File As field, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Services.
2. Click Outlook Address Book, then click Properties.
3. Click "File As (Smith, John)." Click Close, and then click OK to close the Services.
4. On the File menu, click Exit and Log Off.
5. Restart Outlook.
6. On the Tools menu, click Address Book; then click to select Contacts in the Show Names list.

The Contacts in the Outlook Address Book are sorted and displayed based on each contact's File As field.

For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: