The present invention is directed to utilizing contact data controls to simplify access to schematized contact data. Contact data controls abstract the formatting of schematized contact data from applications. In some embodiments, applications that lack the configuration to natively access schematized contact data (e.g., lack the functionality to convert between schematized and non-schematized data or are not authorized) forward requests to access schematized contact data to an external contact data control. In other embodiments, applications that lack the configuration to natively access schematized contact data forward non-schematized data, which is to be used to update schematized contact data, to an external contact data control. External contact data controls appropriately interact with the schematized data and can provide user-interface such that an application designer need not have extensive knowledge of contact schemas associated with the schematized contact data.