The underrated Google Sheets feature that fixed my messy address book problems in minutes

For over a decade, I've neglected my contacts, allowing them to become a chaotic mess with thousands of entries. The unreorganized list made me hesitant to tackle the task of cleaning it up. However, with Google's integration of Gemini in Sheets, I found an efficient solution to my address book problems. Gemini offers a Merge and fix feature, which checks for exact duplicates, but lacks the ability to flag or filter inactive entries.

This capability becomes particularly useful when dealing with a large volume of contacts, such as the hundreds or even thousands I had amassed.

To begin, I exported my address book using either my Android phone or by uploading a VCF or vCard file to Google Drive for quick access in Sheets. Upon accessing contacts.google.com, I chose the Export option and selected the CSV file format, which seamlessly opened in Sheets. Next, I imported the data into Google Sheets, utilizing the web or desktop browser for optimal functionality.

After the spreadsheet populated with my contact list, I employed Gemini to streamline the process. I provided it with instructions to follow the default Google Contacts layout, which included organizing duplicates, inactive or junk contacts, correcting name and business cases, and fixing incomplete entries.

After Gemini completed the spreadsheet, I verified that it adhered to the correct column order in my Contacts app, specifically Name, Email, Phone number, Job title and company, and Labels. Finally, I downloaded the updated CSV file from Sheets and replaced my old entries with the newly organized one. Importing the fresh CSV file onto Google Contacts successfully synced my updated contact list across all devices within a minute.

While the Android app lacks native support for this feature, the desktop version provides ample space to tackle the daunting task of organizing a cluttered address book. For those with less extensive issues, the built-in organizer tools within the Contacts app prove sufficient for removing duplicates and junk entries.