Address Database Clean-up

[Guest]

I am cleaning up a large address Access database for a spanish law firm. The
first and last name fields are tricky because often individuals have four or
five names and often they are placed inconsistently in the first and last
name fields. We are going to convert the database into an Excel file to
accelarate clean-up, but we are having a tough time removing duplicates
because of the naming issues. Any ideas on how to do this? Here is an
example of the problem:

First Last
Jose Maria Ramon Luis Olivida
Jose Maria Ramon Luis
Jose Ramon Luis Olvida

All three of these rows list the same person, but I don´t know how to fix it
other than manually. Note that this is a database with 20,000+ rows.

 

[CLR]

Hi Wynn........
This formula, copied down, will separate out the first name.........maybe
that will help

=LEFT(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1))

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3




Maybe just do Data > TextToColumns

 

[Guest]

Hmmm. The formula does not seem to be working. Should I be entering it how
you have it written there?

 

[Guest]

Yes, just as it's written, notice the space between the two
double-quotes.......you could just copy and paste it.....It assumes your list
of names is in column A, if so, put this in B1, or any other columns first
row and copy down as far as you have data in column A.

If your list is in a different column than A, just change the two A's in the
formula to whatever column that might be...

=LEFT(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1))

Then, in the next column to the right, say C1, put this formula and copy it
down....

=MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1,1),99)

Where the first formula brings in the First Name, this one will bring in all
the others...

hth
Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3