CommandLink Desktop – Importing contacts

You can populate CommandLink Desktop contacts by importing an external file or files. Your system administrator may have provided a file on the server for you to import. You can also import your own file or files. New contacts will be added to your existing contacts.

You can import a contact list from:

  • .csv file: A comma-separated value file. Use this method to import from a Microsoft® Excel® file.
  • vCard file (*.vcf file): A vCard is an electronic business card often attached to an email.
  • .pst file: (Windows) A Microsoft Exchange® contact list (*.pst file).
  • Mac Address Book: (Mac) A Mac contact list.

To prepare a .csv file in Excel for import

  1. Remove any introductory text or headings from the to of the file. You can keep the text at the end of the file as it will be ignored during import.
  2. Insert a blank row as the first row. In the next row, insert the heading that CommandLink Desktop will use to interpret the meaning of each column. The columns can be in any order. The key heading are:
    • sip-address: CommandLink Desktop recognizes a value in this column as a softphone address and considers the address as one that can be phoned and one that can be using for IM and presence (if SIP is being used for IM and presence).
    • xmpp-address: CommandLink Desktop recognizes a value in this column as a Jabber (XMPP) address and will map this field to the Instant Message field for the contact.
    • display-name, given-name, and surname
    • business_number
    • presence_subscription: Complete this field in one of these ways:
      If you only want to share presence information with some of your contacts, fill in this column in the file. Enter “true” for contacts whose online presence you want to see. Leave this column blank or enter “false” for others. During the import, you will be able to choose to share presence with only the contacts that have “true”. CommandLink Desktop will subscribe to the presence for “true” contacts assuming that the user has a SIP account (if SIP is being used for IM and presence).If you want to share presence with all or with none of your contacts, ignore this heading. During the import you will be able to choose whether to share will all or none of your contacts.
  3. Save the file as “*.csv”.

The file is now ready for import.