If your contacts use different File As formats and you’d like to have all contacts use a single format but opening each contact to change the FileAs will take more time that you want to spend on it, you can use VBA to change the File As format on all contacts within minutes.
A code sample (tested with Outlook 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2010) is available at Bulk Change File As Format for Contacts. While the original code only works on the default Contacts folder, another user posted a code sample that works on contacts in the selected folder.
Note that you need to choose a format that will work for all (or most of) your contacts. You may need to open and change the format on a few contacts.
Published August 23, 2008. Last updated on January 3, 2012.