How to display the Contacts list in the last name, first name format in Outlook 2003 (823478)

SUMMARY

By default, Outlook 2003 displays contact names that are in your Contacts list in the FirstName, LastName format, as opposed to the LastName, FirstName format. In this situation, the first name of a contact is used to sort your Contact lists because the Contacts list is sorted alphabetically.

If you want to have your Contacts list sorted by the last name of the contact, you must change the contact display format from the FirstName, LastName format to the LastName, FirstName format. This article describes how to change the contact display format so that the Contacts list is sorted by the last name of the contact

MORE INFORMATION

Follow these steps to change the contact display format so that the Contacts list is sorted by the last name of the contact:

Sort the Contacts list by the File as field. To do this:
1. Start Outlook 2003.
2. On the Tools menu, click E-mail accounts.
3. Click View or change directories or address books, and then click Next.
4. Click Outlook Address Book, and then click Change.
5. Under Outlook Address Books, click the address book that you want to change the contact display format for. For example, Contacts: Personal Folders, and then click File As (Smith, John).
6. Click Close, and then click Finish.
Quit and restart Outlook 2003.
Verify that the newly created contacts are sorted in the LastName, FirstName format. To do this:
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Preferences tab, and then click Contact Options.
3. In the Contacts Options box, click Last, First in the Default File As order list.
4. Click OK two times.
Edit the properties of any contacts that have the File as option configured individually. This setting overrides the setting that you made in step 1.
1. Double-click any contact that does not appear in the LastName, FirstName format in your Contacts list.
2. Click the General tab, click the down arrow next to File as, and then click Lastname, Firstname, where Lastname, Firstname is the name of the contact.