How Do I Map Fields When Importing Contacts Into Outlook 365 web?

Dear @Cal delaPena,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A Forum.

I understand that you're looking for the "Map custom fields" function when importing contacts into Outlook 365 for the web (OWA). This is a very frequent question, unfortunately, the current design of the Outlook 365 web application does not include a manual field mapping feature for CSV imports. That functionality is only available in the classic desktop version of Microsoft Outlook (the application installed on your Windows or Mac computer). To successfully import your CSV file and ensure all your custom data fields (like a column named "Cell Ph" getting mapped to "Mobile Phone") are handled correctly, you have two primary options.

Option 1: Use the Classic Microsoft Outlook Desktop App (Recommended)

This is the most reliable way to perform field mapping.

1. Open the Outlook Desktop Application (Part of your Microsoft 365 subscription).
2. Go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
3. Choose Import from another program or file and click Next.
4. Select Comma Separated Values and click Next.
5. Browse to select your CSV file.
6. Select the destination folder (usually Contacts).
7. Crucially, click the "Map Custom Fields" button that appears in the wizard. This will open the mapping dialogue where you can drag and drop your CSV column headers (left pane) to the corresponding Outlook fields (right pane).
8. Click Finish to complete the import.

For reference: Microsoft 365 operated by 21Vianet: Import contacts to Outlook for Windows - Microsoft Support

Option 2: Pre-Format Your CSV to Match Outlook

If you cannot access the desktop app, your only option with the web app is to change the column headers in your CSV file so they match Outlook's expected field names exactly. This eliminates the need for manual mapping.

1. The easiest way to know Outlook's required field names is to export an existing contact or two from your Outlook web app into a CSV file.
2. Open the exported CSV file. The first row contains the exact column headers (e.g., First Name, Last Name, Mobile Phone) that Outlook expects.
3. Rename the column headers in your custom CSV file to match the headers from the template you exported.
   • For example, change your column header from Cell Ph to Mobile Phone.
   • Change Work Email to E-mail Address.
   • Save your edited file as a new CSV (UTF-8 encoding is best for special characters), and then import it directly into the Outlook 365 web app using the People tab > Manage contacts > Import contacts option.

The lack of a mapping tool in the web app means you have to do the mapping work yourself inside the CSV file ahead of time.

For reference: Import or export contacts in Outlook using a .csv file - Microsoft Support

Workarounds for Custom Information (Post-Import)

If you still have custom data fields that do not fit into Outlook's standard fields after import, you can manage them using these methods in the web app:

1. Use the Notes Section for Free-Text Data

This is the simplest way to store additional information, though it is unstructured.

• In the contact creation or editing page, scroll down to the Notes section.
• Manually add any custom information here (e.g., "Project: ABC", "Account Number: 12345").

2. Use Categories for Custom Grouping (Limited)

Categories allow you to tag and organize contacts based on custom labels, which acts as a simple custom field for searching/filtering.

• In the New Contact screen, scroll down to the Categories section.
• Type in a custom label (e.g., "Project X Client", "Tier 1 Lead") and assign it to the contact.

3: Use Microsoft Power Apps or Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Advanced Customization

If you need more advanced contact management with custom fields, including structured fields, you could consider using Microsoft Power Apps or Dynamics 365 for a more tailored solution. These are powerful tools integrated with Microsoft 365 and allow for custom data storage and management, but they require additional setup and may involve more technical configuration.

If the data continues to show up incorrectly, or if you require advanced structured custom fields, I recommend that the Global Admin in your organization create a service request with Microsoft Support. A technical support engineer can perform a remote session to verify the back-end configurations and advise on a targeted solution. Ask The Global Admin in your organization to create a service request with Microsoft support to get advanced technical assistance and diagnostics. For detailed instructions on how to get support, please refer to Get support - Microsoft 365 admin. If you don't know who your IT administrator is, please refer to this article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support 

For additional assistance, use this link to find the appropriate contact number: Global Customer Service phone numbers - Microsoft Support 

I hope this information helps clarify the situation and provides you with workable solutions. Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always here to help. Have a wonderful day! 

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