How can I create a formula for Salutation

[Guest]

How can I create a formula that will look at the name in a column and create
a salutation?

 

[Roger Govier]

Hi

With your names in column B, assuming them to be forenames, then
="Dear "&B1&","

If the names are last names, then if you had Title in another column,
say title in column A, Forename in Column B and Lastname in column C
="Dear "&A1&" C1"&","


Regards

Roger Govier

 

[BenjieLop]

How can I create a formula that will look at the name in a column and
create
a salutation?

If the name is, say, in Cell A1, you can use this formula

\"DEAR \"&A1&\":\"

Hope this is what you need.

Regards.

 

[Guest]

I am looking for a formula that will genderize the result. That is look at
the column with firstnames and put either Mr. or Mrs.

 

[Guest]

I am looking for a formula that will genderize the results. That is look at
a column with firstnames and put either Mr. or Ms.

 

[Roger Govier]

Hi

The only way to do that would be with a huge lookup table with all first
names in column A, and your designation of gender (as Mr or Mrs) in
column B.
Designate this table as Names

="Dear "&VLOOKUP(B1,names,2,0)&" "&B1&" "&C1

I still think you would have problems with this.
What about Alex? Is that Alexander or Alexandra, and i am sure there
will be many more cases where it wouldn't work.

Regards

Roger Govier

 

[AlfD]

Hi!

You can't do it for various reasons.

Some first names are not gender-specific (e.g. Evelyn).

Some names are not organised as first/last name as you expect. (e.g
Chinese).

Some names will be of recent origin and not in any pre-existin
database. (After all, every name was new at some point in its history
and you should see some of the neologisms I have seen...)

Best collect the salutation from the target: that way you stand a goo
chance of getting it right.

Al