Reuben Cummings
reuben at gfconsultants.com
Thu Jun 23 11:38:34 CDT 2005
>>I see your point -- but how do you handle those times when you're not gleaning middle names, just first and last >>What do you do if they actually have a middle name and two last names? Again, I feel it depends on their legal name or how they register themselves. If someone is hell bent on being called Sales Harkins (sorry Susan, but you are the best example we have going) then that should be entered as the last name, IMO. Of course, you could store the names in any manner and do something like Outlook does where it automatically gives you options of how to store and show the name. I think this is the best way - to create a routine for defining the name to use. For example, my mom had an employee called Janine (last name Baxter). However, she insisted that all writing to her or any she signed be done as N. Janine Baxter. In the example I am making above you could make the first name N., middle name Janine, last name Baxter and then define it in a separate procedure to print that way. This is one of those never ending arguments, isn't it. :) Reuben Cummings GFC, LLC phone: 812.523.1017 email: reuben at gfconsultants.com -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Susan Harkins Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 10:25 AM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: RE: [AccessD] Normalizing issue I see your point -- but how do you handle those times when you're not gleaning middle names, just first and last -- for instance, a simple mailing list where you don't want to include middle names, but where the person "goes by" Sales Harkins... You'd leave off Sales -- which isn't a crisis, but could make some people mad. For me, Sales is just part of my writing name -- I don't use it officially -- don't' sign anything with it, but it's an identifier. Years ago, I learned that another Susan Harkins was the editor of another technical journal -- that was just too close for comfort -- I added the Sales. Now, if you sent me a letter addressed to Susan Harkins, I wouldn't care or get angry -- but some might. Is this worth considering? I suppose one answer is to simply always use the middle name in all cases, but that seems overkill. Susan H. I use middle name. My feeling is that no one cares if it's actually a last name or middle name. Either way it's in the right place all the time if you use a middle name field. The question really is how is that person listed on legal documents. If, for example, you are listed on your mortgage or social security (or whatever) as Last name = Sales Harkins, First name = Susan then that's the last name, but if you use it "unofficially" then I would make it a middle name. Reuben Cummings GFC, LLC phone: 812.523.1017 email: reuben at gfconsultants.com -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Susan Harkins Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 9:46 AM To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving' Subject: RE: [AccessD] Normalizing issue So you both depend on the data entry person to enter Harkins Sales instead of Sales Harkins? That's interesting. ;) Susan H. The number of records that have a second last name vs those that don't dosen't warrant our efforts to program around it. We put the burden of keying it in properly on the business/clerical departments. -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com