You export your contacts from Outlook to an MDB file, or from Desktop to a CSV file. Then PDAssistant will convert the file into the "native language" of the other program. Then you can directly import the contacts into the programs. Manually mapping CSV files takes about ten minutes if you have the field maps (the order that each program writes information to a file) memorized. With PDAssistant, field mapping is automatic, in addition to several other useful features to further simplify managing contact lists within both programs.

One of PDAssistant's great features is that it will add special tags to the Note. Outlook stores information like Birthday, Spouse's Name, etc. that Desktop is not designed to hold. If you wish, PDAssistant will add tags with the additional information to the Note field in Desktop. When converting back, PDAssistant will recognize the tags and repopulate Outlook's fields accordingly. You can change the information between the tags on the go, and when you transfer your contacts back to Outlook the information will be updated.

New in version 2.0, PDAssistant will read both contact files (Palm and Outlook), match the lists based on email, last name, first name, or any combination of the three, and generate a single contact list containing the information from both lists. This eliminates duplicates without erasing data that's only recorded in one of the programs. When merging, you can specify which program has the most current information and PDAssistant will supplement that list with contacts and data from the other list.

PDAssistant is designed to work quickly so conversions are simple and hassle-free. Additionally, PDAssistant is available for only $9.95, making it a truly cost-effective way to facilitate contact transfers.