How to delete first name from a last name column

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peo Sjoblom
  • Start date Start date
P

Peo Sjoblom

One way,

first make a copy of the sheet, then data>text to columns, delimited, click
next and select comma as delimiter, click next, select the right side and
check do not import (skip)
 
I have 386 customers in a spreadsheet, that for some reason show last
name and first name in the same column (column A) Column B shows the
first name again. In the first column A the last name and first name is
separated by a comma. How can I delete the first name and middle initial
in the first column A. Is there a way I can say, delete all after the
comma in column A? Actually, what I really like to do, is to use all my
name and address list, for a mailing. I may be able to use the
information the way it is, with last name first, then a comma, and then
the first name and middle initial in the first column. I just don't know
how. That is why I thought I need to get rid of the first name and
initial, in the first column and use the second column for the first
name. In a mail merge. Is there a program I can buy that would do this
mail merge grabbing information from a spreadsheet for me? I'm using Win
XP and Office XP Pro
 
Peter,

You should check that there isn't a formula in column B that's getting the
first name from column A.
 
Good point..

--

Regards,

Peo Sjoblom

Earl Kiosterud said:
Peter,

You should check that there isn't a formula in column B that's getting the
first name from column A.
Click to expand...
 
Peter,
just make sure there are no formula links to the first column, select the
first name column,
copy it and do edit>paste special as values if there are formulas or else
the first names will be gone.
 
Hello Don, could you please check the URL, I keep getting a "The page
cannot be displayed" message. Many thanks for your help
 
Thanks for the tip, I hope I can execute the command as swell as you
wrote them...........Peter
 
Hello Earl, I hope I'm doing this right, I have one of my senior moments
again. I can't remember anything, but I clicked on the cell in B, but I
didn't see anything like a formula (the area where it suppose to show,
can't even remember that name) it just showed the first name.....Peter
 
Hello Peo again.......It looked all so easy, but the art was in your
good clear instruction. Usually I screw it up. So, what that means, is
that when I will figure out how to do a mail merge, or make labels from
the names, the first name and middle initial from column A will not
import. Did I get it, or am I still in the clouds?
 
Thanks again for that tip, I have never done anything like that, but
just to let you know, the names did not disappear..............Peter
 
Peter,

If you select one of the cells in column B and look in the formula bar,
you'll see a formula, or you'll just see the first name. If you don't have
a formula bar, use View - Formula bar. Or you can put the cell into Edit
Mode (F2 or double-click it).
 
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