Sync Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 with Outlook contacts

As I use Outlook to maintain all my Contact data I wanted to sync them with the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2. In the following you will find a step by step description to sync Outlook contact data with Samsung Kies.

1. First of all I installed Samsung Kies on my PC where I use Outlook. I downloaded the latest Samsung Kies software here from the Samsung Support page.

2. I connected my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 with my PC using the USB cable that came with the smartphone.

[sam_zone id=”2″ codes=”true”]

3. I opened Samsung Kies on my PC and after a few secondes the Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 showed up.

4. If you go to the sync area you will find following options:

• Sync contacts with Outlook
• Sync schedule with Outlook
• Sync To Do with Outlook
• Sync Memo with Outlook

Sync contacts with Outlook

I selected “Sync contacts with Outlook”. At the beginning I synced “all contacts” but I cannot recommend this as you get more contact entries than in your outlook contacts (e. g. only email addresses without contact name etc.). That’s why I recommend to choose “Selected contacts folder” and “contacts”. If you maintain the outlook category for your contacts check “Sync the Outlook category with the contact group of the device”. Click on Sync to start!

 

Afterwards all outlook contact data are on your Samsung Galaxy Ace 2.

With the new Samsung Kies update there is also the possibility to define the sync method with: “Set as a synchronization data storage”:

• Apply to both device and Outlook
• Apply to device only
• Apply to Outlook only

As I did not understand how those settings affect my synchronization I just tried out to what happens if I change or delete Contact date in Outlook or in my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 and…

selected “Apply to both device and Outlook:

• 1. Test case: I deleted in one of the contact data the picture, first name, cell phone number and email address and I also added a new email address and I changed one phone number. After synchronizing all changes have been transferred to the Outlook contact data. I just found out as I deleted the first name on my Galaxy Ace 2 the title and the middle name have been deleted in Outlook. On my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 the title and middle name are still there.
• 2. Test case: Similar to case 1 I changed the contact data in Outlook. The deleted and changed data have been successfully synced with my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2.
• 3. Test case: I deleted one contact on my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2: After clicking on “Sync” I got the message: “If you sync, the Contacts deleteted on either Device or Outlook will be deleted on both. If you do not want to delete contacts initialise the syncing log. Syncing will proceed automatically when syncing log has been initialised.” Here you get a reminder message that allows you to choose if you want to delete the contact from both devices or if you want to restore the contact again.
• 4. Test case: If you delete the contact in outlook the same message comes up as in case 3: If I press “Sync” the conact will be deleted on my Galaxy Ace 2 as well. If I choose to initialise the syncing log the contact data will be restored.

-> All changes no matter on which device will be synced to the other device.

 

selected “apply to device only”:

• 1. Test case: I deleted in one of the contact data the picture, first name, cell phone number and email address and I also added a new email address and I changed one phone number. After synchronizing the changes have not been transferred to the Outlook contact data.
• 2. Test case: Similar to case 1 I changed the contact data in Outlook. The changed contact data are synchronized to my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2.
• 3. Test case: I deleted on contact on my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2: After pressing “Sync” the same message as above appears. Anyhow if I choose “Sync” the Outlook contact will not be deleted. If I deleted the contact date by mistake I can restore it by initialising the syncing log.
• 4. Test case: If I delete one contact in Outlook the message also appears. If I click “Sync” the contact on my Galaxy Ace 2 will be deleted as well. If I choose “Initialise syncing log” the contact data will be restored from my smartphone.

-> Changes on the Smartphone are not transferred to Outlook!

 

selected “apply to Outlook only”:

• 1. Test case: I deleted in one of the contact data the picture, first name, cell phone number and email address and I also added a new email address and I changed one phone number. After synchronizing the changes have been transferred to the Outlook contact data.
• 2. Test case: Similar to case 1 I changed the contact data in Outlook. The changed contact data are not synchronized to my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2.
• 3. Test case: I deleted one contact on my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2: After clicking on “Sync” I got the message: “If you sync, the Contacts deleteted on either Device or Outlook will be deleted on both.” After choosing “Sync” the contact will be deleted in Outlook. If I deleted the contact on my smartphone by mistake I can select “Initialise syncing log” and the contact date will be restored from Outlook.
• 4. Test case: I deleted one contact in Outlook. After pressing “Sync” the same message as above appears. Anyhow if I choose “Sync” the Outlook contact will not be deleted. If I deleted the contact date by mistake I can restore it in Outlook by initialising the syncing log.

-> Changes in Outlook are not transferred to the Smartphone.

 

Result: If you choose the right settings you should not get double contact data in your smartphone or Outlook. Anyway you have to understand what the different settings cause in the synchronization process.