Downloading Your NBA Team Schedule to Outlook and iCal

The NBA 2009-2010 Schedule has recently been released and if you are a fanatical NBA basketball fan, you might want to import your teams schedule into your Microsoft Outlook or Apple Entourage and then synchronize it with your iPhone or Blackberry.

Since I am a Miami Heat fan, today I exported the file off the Miami Heat NBA website and followed their well-written directions to import it into my Microsoft Outlook. Here are some helpful hints.

Microsoft Outlook

- Microsoft Office Outlook Import and Exporters - To import the Windows .csv file, you may need the Import Filters which should be installed automatically from the Office Local Installation Source (C:\MCOCache a hidden folder). If you receive an error message, then you may need your original Office Installation disks. If you are not able to add the Import/Exporters, I would not recommend proceeding unless you want to re-install Office.

- Microsoft Outlook Calendars - Before you start the import process, check to make sure what your primary Microsoft Outlook Calendar is. Some users may have more than one which might cause problems later when synchronizing with your iPhone or Blackberry.

- Print the instructions on your team's website. You need to follow them very closely or you may create many 80 something plus entries in your calendar that will need to be deleted manually .

Microsoft Entourage on the Mac
- Save the Heat.ics file to your Desktop, then add the New Event to your destination calendar in the list box. I clicked on the Heat.ics file and was prompted through the process. If you make a mistake, you can click Edit, Undo to your last import.

Google Calendar
- If you use Google Calendar, open the Miami Heat 2009-10 Official Schedule then click on the +Google Calendar in the bottom right corner of your screen. It you are already logged into your Google Calendar, it will add the Miami Heat Schedule.

Good luck!