Summary: If you are here to know the steps to convert NSF to vCard file format. Then, you have landed on the right page. This guide contains both manual and professional ways of exporting lotus notes contacts into VCF.
About Formats:
Talking about NSF, it is the default format in which HCL Lotus Notes stores mail box information. It can have your emails, contact information, calendars, etc. vCard refers to the standard file format for creating and exchanging digital business cards. Whereas, VCF is your virtual contact file that is basically a file in the form of .vcf extension.
Why to Export Lotus Notes Contacts to vCard?
These are some of the reasons why you might decide to convert NSF to vCard format. Let’s address those points:
- When you want to import your contacts to popular email clients like Outlook, Gmail, & Thunderbird
- Or you want to move your contacts to Android or iPhone
- In order to take backup of all your contacts you have saved before
- To share it with multiple users in an easy manner
- Make your mind to switch from HCL or IBM Lotus Notes to different platform
For your information, vCard is only a format which is compatible with nearly all types of email client or your mobile phones.
Information Stored in vCard File – Let’s Know
It stores many different contact data, such as:
- Name
- Organization name
- E-mail address
- Mobile phone number
- Office phone number
- Home address
- Website
- Position
- Comments
- Photo
That is why VCF is considered the best format for exchange of contact information.
Follow Manual Method to Convert NSF to vCard Format
There is only one way to export Lotus Notes Contacts to VCF. Follow the steps correctly which is given below:
#1. HCL (IBM Lotus Notes) Provides Built-in Feature
If your aim is to export a few contacts, then you can use Lotus Notes for saving individual contacts.
- Firstly, open HCL Notes (IBM Lotus Notes) in your system
- Go to Contacts section
- There, select the required contact which you need to export
- Next, choose File > Export
- Select vCard (.vcf) as export type format
- Set the final destination folder
- Now, click on Export to convert NSF to vCard
All these contacts will be saved as a VCF file.
Drawbacks:
While the manual process is free, it comes with its own set of problems while you perform the process to convert NSF to vCard file.
- You can only export contacts one by one
- Takes more time when you have large list
- It is necessary to have Lotus Notes installed
- Not suitable for business level works
- There is a high risk of mistakes due to its long process
- Lastly, it cannot export contacts in bulk
To avoid all these and to have bulk exports, you can go with our expert solution described below.
Securely Convert NSF to vCard Data in Bulk Using Professional Solution
When you need to export a large number of contacts from Lotus Notes, then the manual method fails as it is very lengthy and has a high risk of error. So, you can use SysTools NSF Converter to export Lotus Notes contacts without any hassle. As it converts NSF files to vCard format by maintaining all of your contact details such as name, email address, and phone numbers, etc.
Why to Choose?
- Export contacts from NSF to vCard in bulk
- Retain all contact attributes and metadata
- Ensure data safety while having the process
- You can load single/multiple NSF files at once
- Easy-to-use interface
- Handle large NSF files without any performance problems
- Supports all Windows versions
Software Steps to Easily Convert NSF to vCard Format
1. Download and install our professional solution in your system.
2. Click on the “Select NSF File(s)” radio button and then select “Add Files” or “Add Folder“.
Tip: In case your NSF file is password protected, enter your password under “Provide Lotus Notes Password.”
3. Now under “Export Option,” select the “vCard” option.
4. Under the “Select Categories” section, choose “Contacts“. If you want to prevent duplicate contacts, go with “Exclude Duplicate Contacts” option.
5. To access advanced settings, click on “Advance Setting“.
6. Select the vCard version from the vCard Advance Settings, including versions like 2.1, 3.0, 4.0.
7. Besides, there is also an option to create a single vCard file from the name .nsf extension.
8. Another option is Include Folder for Conversion where you can perform conversions from specified folders.
9. Next, select the Browse option to select the destination folder where you want to save your converted files.
10. Once all the above settings have been done, click on the Export button.
11. After completing the conversion, click on the OK button.
12. Now, you can view all the Lotus Notes contacts which have been converted by going to the destination folder.
Manual vs Professional Methods – Feature Comparison
This is the table by which you can differentiate both these approaches. You can easily decide which one to go with and easily convert NSF to vCard without any wrong steps.
| Feature | Manual Method | Expert Solution |
| Provides Bulk Options | No | Yes |
| Export Multiple NSF Files | No | Yes |
| Maintains Contact Details | Limited | Yes |
| Easy to Use | Moderate | Very Easy |
| Suitable for Large Files | No | Yes |
| Time Saving Steps | No | Yes |
Important Tips:
To make sure that the conversion is going right, keep an eye on these points.
- Take a backup of your original NSF file
- Check whether the NSF file is corrupt or not
- Make sure there is enough free space
- Export all contacts before uninstalling the Lotus Notes
Conclusion
These types of conversion are done when users want to migrate to new mail clients, devices, and cloud services. Then, it’s important to convert NSF to vCard format. The manual steps are basically for a small number of contacts, it is inefficient to use it on large contact databases. For that, you can go with our best software which not only maintains contacts but is also helpful in handling large NSF files.
