MS Outlook supports feature to assign one or more categories to any Outlook item in order to make it easy to locate specific items by its users. Color Categories was introduced in Outlook 2007 by combining the colored flags with categories. Sometimes, user needs to merge the master category list in an Outlook account with the list present on another computer. One of the possible solutions for the same purpose is to backup and merge our categories or to share categories between users, without overwriting the custom categories that are already present. The blog explains the procedure involved in backing up Microsoft Outlook's Master Categories List.
MS Outlook does not support feature to import/export Master category for sharing custom categories with others, other than by exporting the registry & overwriting the registry entry on other computers. Any category marked on an Outlook item but not in Master category list is marked with 'Not on master list'. Master category is only preferred if the company uses many custom categories. When the categories are listed under master list, it is easy to select the right category to their items.
1.) Make a backup copy of Categories already in Master List
2.) Add Categories to the Master List
For adding Categories to the Master List, we will use Outlook's Upgrade to Color categories command to add them. This upgrade option will add the category names to the list and assign random colors. The user can change them later if they do not like the colors assigned by Outlook.
Upgrade to Color Categories option can be enabled using the following steps:
When the user enables Upgrade option, Outlook goes through all of the items in the data files, adds the categories that are not present already in the master list, and assigns a color to the category.
3.) Add several new categories at a time
If user does not have an existing item with the categories assigned already in Outlook 2007 or 2010, he needs to add them one at a time using category dialog, with one exception that user can type or paste categories in the category field on the All Fields page in an open Contact form. This is the only Category field in Outlook 2007 or 2010 that accepts a comma-Separated list of categories.
Once the list of Categories are added on the contact and saved, Use Add to Color Category command to add the categories to the Master List.
The blog has been aimed to discuss about the feature of MS Outlook where user can categorize Outlook items making it easily recognizable. It further provides solution to backup and merge the master category list with list present in different computer without overwriting the custom categories already present.