Contact Templates

Pre-configured templates for bulk creation of mail contacts in Exchange Online. Contact templates define standard fields and values to streamline the process of adding external contacts to the Global Address List.

Note: Contact templates are useful for MSPs and organizations that regularly onboard external contacts such as vendors, partners, or consultants.

Template List

Template Fields

Required Fields

Every contact template includes these required fields:

• Display Name — Full name shown in GAL (format: Last, First)
• External Email — Target email address for delivery
• Alias — Short name for internal routing

Optional Fields

Pre-populate optional fields for consistency:

• Company — Organization name
• Department — Department or team
• Title — Job title
• Phone — Office phone number
• Address — Street address, city, state, country
• Custom Attributes — ExtensionAttribute1-15 for custom data

Creating a Template

1. Name the template — Provide a descriptive name (e.g., “Vendor Contact”).
2. Set default values — Pre-fill fields that are common across contacts (company, department).
3. Configure required fields — Mark which fields must be filled for each contact.
4. Set visibility — Choose whether contacts are shown in GAL by default.
5. Save template — Template is available for future contact creation.

Using Templates

Single Contact

Create a single contact from a template:

1. Select the template
2. Fill in contact-specific fields (name, email)
3. Override any pre-filled defaults as needed
4. Create the contact

Bulk Import

Use a template with CSV import:

1. Export the template as a CSV with column headers
2. Fill in the CSV with contact data
3. Import the CSV using the template mapping
4. Review and confirm created contacts

Common Templates

Vendor Contact

Pre-fills company and category fields for vendor contacts. Includes custom attribute for vendor ID.

Partner Contact

Pre-fills company and sets MailTip warning about external recipient. Configured for partner organization.

Consultant Contact

Pre-fills contract details in custom attributes. Sets temporary visibility with expiration date.

Best Practices

• Standardize naming — Use consistent display name format across all templates.
• Pre-fill common fields — Reduce data entry by setting defaults for company and department.
• Include MailTips — Add external sender warnings to remind users the contact is external.
• Review templates — Update templates when organizational needs change.

API Reference

GET /api/exchange/contact-templates List contact templates

POST /api/exchange/contact-templates Create contact template

POST /api/exchange/contact-templates/:id/create-contact Create contact from template

POST /api/exchange/contact-templates/:id/bulk-import Bulk create contacts from template with CSV