Outlook contacts cleanup
A contacts file exported from Outlook for Windows (File → Open & Export → Export to a file → CSV), or one you are about to import into it.
Processed locally in your browser. File contents are not uploaded. No account needed.
Before and after
Made-up rows from the sample file, run through the same code Rote Workspace runs, when this page was built. Removed rows are struck through; changed cells are highlighted — point at one for its old value.
Original
| Row | First Name | Last Name | E-mail Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | maya | patel | Maya.Patel@Example.com |
| 3 (removed) | Maya | Patel | maya.patel@example.com (has spaces at its edges) |
| 4 (removed) | |||
| 5 | JONAS | WEBER | jonas.weber@example.com |
| 6 | Lucía | Gómez | lucia.gomez@example.com |
Result
| Row | First Name | Last Name | E-mail Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Maya (changed) | Patel (changed) | maya.patel@example.com (changed) |
| 5 | Jonas (changed) | Weber (changed) | jonas.weber@example.com |
| 6 | Lucía | Gómez | lucia.gomez@example.com |
3 rows × 9 columns after the fixes · was 5 × 9 · 6 cells changed
6 more columns are not shown; they pass through unchanged.
· marks a space at the start or end of a value. The dots are not in the data; they show spaces you would otherwise not see.
Why
Moving contacts between Outlook, Google and phones leaves the same person twice under slightly different spellings; Outlook's import does not merge them.
What it does
- Remove empty rowsOn the sample: 1 row removed
- Trim spaces in every columnOn the sample: 1 cell changed
- lower-case "E-mail Address"On the sample: 1 cell changed
- Title-case "First Name", "Last Name"On the sample: 4 cells changed
- Remove duplicates: rows with the same "E-mail Address" (ignoring case, ignoring extra spaces, blank keys never match), keeping the first of each groupOn the sample: 1 row removed
Your file needs these columns, spelled exactly: First Name, Last Name, E-mail Address. If one is missing or renamed, the workflow tells you which step it breaks and does not run.
Outlook writes its column names in its own language; this template uses the English ones.
How to use it
Download the workflow
A small .json file with the steps above — no data. Want to try it first? Use the sample file (made-up rows).
Open your export
In the Data Workspace, choose your file. It is processed in your browser, not uploaded.
Import, review, run
Workflow → Import, choose the file — or skip the download: under Workflow → Templates, press Check & open. Each step is checked against your columns; press Run on this file, then Download.