Whats the correct way to setup contact?

[vrandroid]

Ok this may sound simple but I'm coming from an apple device that had much less options. Whats is the correct way to do this? In porting over my contacts somehow i ended up using Microsoft exchange server and it created a hell of a lot of multiple contacts for the same person but based on different emails,phone numbers... You name it. Not sure how i did that. Some if my contacts have multiple listings for the same field when i go to edit them, I'm not sure which field i should be entering thier correct data.

For instance, if i add new contact, that contact can be either

Phone contact
Google contact
Microsoft exchange contact
SIM contact

What is the difference? Which one should i be using?

Some of my contacts when clicked on have two phone accounts associated with them. When i click edit, i scroll through the usual name, phone number etc... then I'm presented with another Phone contact heading with the same fields again only might have a different email address in one of the fields.
How do i clean this up and keep my contacts from having multiple accounts associated with them??

 

[Bosbouer]

My preference is to add contacts to the google group. Makes importing to a new phone or any other device much better organised.

In your own case exporting to gmail account(google) would have resulted in less duplication. You can however, link all the "other" entries for a person, once you have created the google contact group.

 

[psf57]

I add my contacts to the "Contacts" folder on the phone, which automatically syncs with your phone. THEN I save export a copy to my SD Card. I don't use google as it seems, every time I did I always got duplicates. My "contacts folder" syncs with AT&T Address book also. BUT, now I have NO duplicates then in my phone. ******In other words add them to your "contacts folder" only. Then to save them in case of having to reset phone, export to your SD Card.

 

[Crashdamage]

Contacts can usually be stored in 3 places. Because of your Exchange account, you have a 4th place.

1. As Google contacts. These are stored on the phone and synced to your Google account (unless sync is turned off).
2. As Phone contacts. These are stored locally on the phone only and not synced.
3. As SIM contacts.

The option to save contacts to SIM cards is disappearing and no doubt will be gone completely in a year or two. Manufacturers have already agreed that they will work together to eliminate SIM cards altogether. Unlike other contacts options, SIM contacts can have names and numbers only - no email addresses, physical addresses, photos, birthdays, notes - none of the extra information most people like to be able to add. In short, SIM contacts is old, outdated technology that should not be considered a viable option.

All that said, I highly recommend saving contacts to your Google account. This provides instant online backup of your contacts making it nearly impossible to ever lose them. Also makes reloading or transferring contacts to a new device a snap. And they can automatically sync between multiple devices, computers, etc.

To clean up the duplicates and tidy everything up, I suggest consolidating all contacts into your existing Google account. Make a kinda master copy. You will have to decide what you want to do with your Exchange contacts. You could export and combine them with your other contacts, but that's up to you. This little guide will get everything into one cleaned up, easy to maintain list accessible and maintainable from your phone or computer.

To export contacts, import them to Gmail, delete all contacts on the phone and resync a clean contacts list to the phone follow these steps:

1. Turn off sync in the phone. This is to keep it from interfering with what you're about to do by trying to sync again because it detects changes being made.

2. Export contacts on the phone to Gmail. Open the Contacts app and tap Menu. Select Import/export, then Export to storage. The contacts will be exported as a .vcf file. Do this for Google contacts, phone contacts, and SIM contacts. You will probably have to export SIM contacts as a .csv file. That's ok .csv files work fine. Make a duplicate copy of the .vcf and .csv files as a safety backup.

3. Delete all contacts on the phone. This so it can have a fresh start when you download your fresh new contacts list and contacts still on the phone don't corrupt it. Then just for good measure do: Settings > Apps > All > Google contacts > Clear cache > Clear data. When finished, there should be no contacts on the phone except your Exchange contacts.

5. Login to Gmail, go to Contacts, click on More and import the .vcf and/ .csv file into Gmail contacts.

6. In Gmail contacts, click on More and select Find & merge duplicate contacts. Then check the list for errors and do any needed edits. When satisfied export a .vcf file copy for backup.

6. Enable contacts sync on the phone and wait for the corrected contacts list to download. Done.

 

[vrandroid]

Thanks for info guys. Very helpful.

I add my contacts to the "Contacts" folder on the phone, which automatically syncs with your phone. THEN I save export a copy to my SD Card. I don't use google as it seems, every time I did I always got duplicates. My "contacts folder" syncs with AT&T Address book also. BUT, now I have NO duplicates then in my phone. ******In other words add them to your "contacts folder" only. Then to save them in case of having to reset phone, export to your SD Card.

 

[vrandroid]

Thank you so much for these step by step instructions! They've been very helpful. I have one question, i cant find a 'google contacts' listing under settings/apps... to clear cache. There's no listing under contacts, google, lg contacts whatever... Can i omit this step? Why cant i find a contacts listing to clear cache? My lg is running lollipop 5.0.

Also can i vote for this post to be a sticky? Unless it already is.

Contacts can usually be stored in 3 places. Because of your Exchange account, you have a 4th place.

1. As Google contacts. These are stored on the phone and synced to your Google account (unless sync is turned off).
2. As Phone contacts. These are stored locally on the phone only and not synced.
3. As SIM contacts.

The option to save contacts to SIM cards is disappearing and no doubt will be gone completely in a year or two. Manufacturers have already agreed that they will work together to eliminate SIM cards altogether. Unlike other contacts options, SIM contacts can have names and numbers only - no email addresses, physical addresses, photos, birthdays, notes - none of the extra information most people like to be able to add. In short, SIM contacts is old, outdated technology that should not be considered a viable option.

All that said, I highly recommend saving contacts to your Google account. This provides instant online backup of your contacts making it nearly impossible to ever lose them. Also makes reloading or transferring contacts to a new device a snap. And they can automatically sync between multiple devices, computers, etc.

To clean up the duplicates and tidy everything up, I suggest consolidating all contacts into your existing Google account. Make a kinda master copy. You will have to decide what you want to do with your Exchange contacts. You could export and combine them with your other contacts, but that's up to you. This little guide will get everything into one cleaned up, easy to maintain list accessible and maintainable from your phone or computer.

To export contacts, import them to Gmail, delete all contacts on the phone and resync a clean contacts list to the phone follow these steps:

1. Turn off sync in the phone. This is to keep it from interfering with what you're about to do by trying to sync again because it detects changes being made.

2. Export contacts on the phone to Gmail. Open the Contacts app and tap Menu. Select Import/export, then Export to storage. The contacts will be exported as a .vcf file. Do this for Google contacts, phone contacts, and SIM contacts. You will probably have to export SIM contacts as a .csv file. That's ok .csv files work fine. Make a duplicate copy of the .vcf and .csv files as a safety backup.

3. Delete all contacts on the phone. This so it can have a fresh start when you download your fresh new contacts list and contacts still on the phone don't corrupt it. Then just for good measure do: Settings > Apps > Google contacts > Clear cache > Clear data. When finished, there should be no contacts on the phone except your Exchange contacts.

5. Login to Gmail and import the .vcf and .csv file into Gmail contacts.

6. In Gmail contacts, click on More and select Merge duplicate contacts. Then check the list for errors and do any needed edits. When satisfied export a .vcf file copy for backup.

6. Enable contacts sync on the phone and wait for the corrected contacts list to download. Done.

 

[Crashdamage]

To find Google contacts in the apps listings you have to go to:
Settings > Apps > All > Google contacts.
I goofed and left out going to 'All' in the instructions. Sorry...I did an edit in the post to correct it.

If you didn't do it because you couldn't find Google contacts it should be no problem. Like I said in the instructions, it's a "just for good measure" kinda thing, not a you must do it kinda thing.

So the instructions worked well for you? Everything came out like you wanted?

Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001

 

[vrandroid]

I haven't tried them yet. I was just reading through and your instructions and figuring out where everything was. I'll try it tonight, thanks.

 

[vrandroid]

ugh. sorry dudes i still need some confirmation here. having a hard time find my way around these apps.

step 2. my contacts apps had no export option, i simply did a backup and backed up ALL my contacts as one .vcf file to an external sd card in the phone.. It didnt give me the option of doing sim or microsoft exchange accounts separately so now I have all my contacts (duplicates too im assuming) in one vcf.

step 3. was able to do this, thanks for the clarification!

step 5. login in to Gmail... ok what app? Google+? Gmail app? Chrome? There is no standalone 'gmail contacts' app' nor an import option so where am i supposed to enter these contacts? or do you mean email this contact file to my gmail accounts as an attachment?? Or do I do this though my google settings app? or settings app?? This step is the most confusing just knowing which app to use

 

[maxburn]

Try this https://contacts.google.com

Personally I keep my contacts out of Google and use Fruux for contacts and calendar. There are alternatives if you want that sort of thing but that will very much confuse the setup situation here.

 

[Crashdamage]

step 2. my contacts apps had no export option, i simply did a backup and backed up ALL my contacts as one .vcf file to an external sd card in the phone.. It didnt give me the option of doing sim or microsoft exchange accounts separately so now I have all my contacts (duplicates too im assuming) in one vcf.

Backup, export...as long as you ended up with a .vcf file it's the same thing by different names. Different terms for the same result.

step 5. login in to Gmail... ok what app? Google+? Gmail app? Chrome? There is no standalone 'gmail contacts' app' nor an import option so where am i supposed to enter these contacts? or do you mean email this contact file to my gmail accounts as an attachment?? Or do I do this though my google settings app? or settings app?? This step is the most confusing just knowing which app to use

No app. I simply meant to login to your Gmail account online, with a browser. Then do this:

1. Click on the red 'Gmail' at the upper left corner.
2. Click on 'Contacts'.
3. In the Contacts screen click on 'More' near the top towards the left.
4. Click on 'Import'.
5. Click on 'Browse' and navigate to your .vcf file.
6. Import it.
7. When the import finishes, click on 'More' again.
8. Click on 'Find & merge duplicates'.
9. Then check the list for errors and do any needed edits. When satisfied export a .vcf file copy for backup.
10. Enable contacts sync on the phone and wait for the corrected contacts list to download.

Done. You're good to go.

 

[vrandroid]

thanks for all the help guys. your final set of instructions did the trick.

last couple questions:
any new contacts you add via your phone are done under the google contacts category? any changes i do to contacts on the phone are NOT updated on the web google account are they? or there's an automatic sync?
Thanks

 

[Crashdamage]

any new contacts you add via your phone are done under the google contacts category?

Correct. Be sure to save contacts to your Google account.

changes i do to contacts on the phone are NOT updated on the web google account are they? or there's an automatic sync?

There IS automatic sync, both ways. Changes made on the phone will show up online and changes made online will show up on the phone.

Glad you got it sorted out!


Android since v1.0. Linux since 2001