Updating Blackberry Contacts Lists by typing on a PC

Here are the steps needed for updating your Blackberry by typing on any computer to which you have access to Microsoft Outlook & Excel:

1. Make sure you have a copy of "Blackberry Desktop" installed on the computer where you'll be working and also have a copy of Microsoft Outlook (not the web version, the Microsoft Office version)
   
   
2. Now you need to cancel wireless sync on your Blackberry's Contacts list
   1. turn on your Blackberry
   2. Access contacts item which looks like
   3. Click the button to the left of the Center button.  I'm not sure what it's called so here's a picture:
   4. Scroll down to "Options"
   5. Scroll down to "Desktop"
   6. Click the center button
   7. Make sure that "Wireless Synchronization" isn't checked
   8. Save the option and you've now cancelled "wireless sync"
      
      
3. Now we'll be transferring all your contacts from your Blackberry to your PC.  Connect your Blackberry to your computer and open the Blackberry Desktop.  You need to wait until the connection is completed and any updates and pre-arranged synchronizations are completed.  Click the "Organizer" option on the left and arrange for "Address Book" to synchronize with Microsoft Outlook.  If nothing happens, you may need to click the "Synchronize" button in the lower right hand corner of the screen.  All your current items will now be transferred to your personal computer and in the future any changes to Microsoft Outlook on your personal computer will synchronize with your Blackberry.
   
   
4. Now it's time to create your new contacts.  Go to Microsoft Excel
   1. Create a new file
   2. Create the following columns:  "First Name",  "Last Name",  "Mobile Phone".  It appears that Outlook will automatically create other columns such as "File As", "Full Name" etc.  Other potential columns include "Company", "Business Phone" & "Home Phone".
   3. Enter the necessary data under those columns
   4. Save the file as an Excel file in case you need to make any changes later
   5. Click on "Save As" and scroll down to "CSV (MS-DOS) (*.CSV)".   I haven't tried this on a MAC so can't help if that's what you're working on.  It's possible that it will work on the MAC version of CSV but I don't know.
   6. Exit Excel so that the CSV file isn't locked and becomes accessible to Outlook
      
      
5. Open Microsoft Outlook.  Click on "File" then on "Open" then on "Import".   Locate the CSV file you created and your contacts should be imported to your PC's Outlook Contact list.
   
   
6. Open Blackberry Desktop and the next synchronization will import these new contacts.   Note:  You can also edit your contacts in Outlook and those edits will be transferred to your Blackberry during the next sync.