Formatting text to Conform to Standard Entry

  • Thread starter Thread starter jungljimatl
  • Start date Start date
J

jungljimatl

I presently have a huge list of names in an excel file that is used t
create various performance reporting for those users via SAS. Th
problem lies in that there are many different formats that the name
are appearing, i.e., Smith, John JOHN SMITH, John Smith, etc.

Is there any way to program a fix for these fields so that I can get t
a Last Name, First Name field format?
 
what id do is
make a copy of the sheet in the same workbook
then use the function Excel Data ---> text to columns
choose delimiters (tab and space)
click 'treat consecutive dilemeters as one'
add 2 columns to the front of the sheet, follow the above rough an
dirty instructions (their walkthrough is better than mine not to worry
and link the commands to the sheet copy or original (whichever wont b
used)
what this will do is put the first word in col a
second or initial in col b
third in col c
a
john j doe
becomes
a-------b-------c
john-----j------doe
size appropriately and it should print fine
as for the names being mixed up, on the front end here hold ctrl whil
you initially set this up and first set up all the lines with names on
way
make that group work
then do a second group with names written the other way
as long as yer doing it in pieces it should work fine
sounds like a pain, but the bright side is ya only gotta do it onc
 
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