Avoiding using a slash \\ in an Organization Name

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Jamie Lydenberg
Jamie Lydenberg ✭
Eighth Anniversary First Reply
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
Currently, we use the \\ method for long foundation and organization names. I made up a foundation name as an example, so currently we have The Helen Anderson\\ Rowe Fund of The Greater Cincinnnati Foundation. I am self-taught in Raiser's Edge so I'm not 100% sure why we do it that way, I have been told it is for sorting purposes. My issue is that then many times I have seen it pulled and *cringe* printed places with that slash. So I was hoping someone might have a solution for doing away with it altogether. I had the idea of having specific Alias for sorting, so for any record like this we would make the Sorting Alias the name in which it should be sorted by like in the example above Anderson would be my sorting alias. Are there any other suggestions? I just want to avoid the \\ being pulled and printed places. Thanks for any suggestions in advance!!
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  • Christine Robertson
    Christine Robertson ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 2 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Jamie Lydenberg:

    Currently, we use the \\ method for long foundation and organization names. I made up a foundation name as an example, so currently we have The Helen Anderson\\ Rowe Fund of The Greater Cincinnnati Foundation. I am self-taught in Raiser's Edge so I'm not 100% sure why we do it that way, I have been told it is for sorting purposes. My issue is that then many times I have seen it pulled and *cringe* printed places with that slash. So I was hoping someone might have a solution for doing away with it altogether. I had the idea of having specific Alias for sorting, so for any record like this we would make the Sorting Alias the name in which it should be sorted by like in the example above Anderson would be my sorting alias. Are there any other suggestions? I just want to avoid the \\ being pulled and printed places. Thanks for any suggestions in advance!!

    If there is a space following the \\, then I think it will print.  In order for it to function for the purpose of sorting, I am fairly certain that it should be used as follows, "The Helen Andreson\\Rowe Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation".  I've never had any issues doing it that way, but if you continue to do so, I'd call support before creating a work around.

  • Jamie Lydenberg
    Jamie Lydenberg ✭
    Eighth Anniversary First Reply
    I apologize, I wrote the name incorrectly we have it as The Helen Andreson\\Rowe Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation without a space. It does still pull with a slash. 
  • JoAnn Strommen
    JoAnn Strommen ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ancient Membership Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic
    Jamie, We've gone back and forth on the backslash use.  As while it works for some reports and such when we export to excel it's a different story.  Have several names move around the lists depending on how it was produced. 


    To have it sort with the "A"s you would need the backslash like this ...Helen\\Anderson...

    You may find this knowledgebase article helpful.  Says it doesn't work with query lists.
    https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/74977
  • Jen Claudy
    Jen Claudy ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic
    Because I export data often to external from RE process, I have done away with using the \\ in names.  Instead, I have a Constituent Attribute of AlphaSortOrg where I put the org name formatted to be sorted alphabetically (and sometimes abbreviated).  (I have an AlphaSortSal for Individuals, and then merge the two together when necessary.)  There's also a SortKey field, but I don't know how that works with Org records.  It's a little bit of extra work to copy the name to the Attribute every time I create a new Org Record, but for the most part it's been worthwhile.
  • Deb Dressely
    Deb Dressely ✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Jamie Lydenberg:

    Currently, we use the \\ method for long foundation and organization names. I made up a foundation name as an example, so currently we have The Helen Anderson\\ Rowe Fund of The Greater Cincinnnati Foundation. I am self-taught in Raiser's Edge so I'm not 100% sure why we do it that way, I have been told it is for sorting purposes. My issue is that then many times I have seen it pulled and *cringe* printed places with that slash. So I was hoping someone might have a solution for doing away with it altogether. I had the idea of having specific Alias for sorting, so for any record like this we would make the Sorting Alias the name in which it should be sorted by like in the example above Anderson would be my sorting alias. Are there any other suggestions? I just want to avoid the \\ being pulled and printed places. Thanks for any suggestions in advance!!

    We have been using the backslash to properly sort org names and haven't had any problems.  The sortkey doesn't seem to work well for organization records.  We also use Alias to aid in searching.  We have an attribute called Recognition Preference where we enter the way the organization wants to be listed in publications.  It is similar to a salutation type of the same name used on individual records.  It works well as we can export that field for publication purposes.

  • Deb Dressely
    Deb Dressely ✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Deb Dressely:

     

    Jamie Lydenberg:

    Currently, we use the \\ method for long foundation and organization names. I made up a foundation name as an example, so currently we have The Helen Anderson\\ Rowe Fund of The Greater Cincinnnati Foundation. I am self-taught in Raiser's Edge so I'm not 100% sure why we do it that way, I have been told it is for sorting purposes. My issue is that then many times I have seen it pulled and *cringe* printed places with that slash. So I was hoping someone might have a solution for doing away with it altogether. I had the idea of having specific Alias for sorting, so for any record like this we would make the Sorting Alias the name in which it should be sorted by like in the example above Anderson would be my sorting alias. Are there any other suggestions? I just want to avoid the \\ being pulled and printed places. Thanks for any suggestions in advance!!

    We have been using the backslash to properly sort org names and haven't had any problems.  The sortkey doesn't seem to work well for organization records.  We also use Alias to aid in searching.  We have an attribute called Recognition Preference where we enter the way the organization wants to be listed in publications.  It is similar to a salutation type of the same name used on individual records.  It works well as we can export that field for publication purposes.


    Clarification - Recognition Preference  would contain The XYZ Corporation of the Greater Twin Cities Area while the Organization Name would show The\\XYZ Corporation.  On an individual record we have a Salutation Type of Recognition Preference where we can list the way the donor wants to be recognized in publications so John H. Smith can be recognized as The John and Betty Smith Family if that is their preference.

     

     

  • Jen Claudy
    Jen Claudy ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Jen Claudy:

    Because I export data often to external from RE process, I have done away with using the \\ in names.  Instead, I have a Constituent Attribute of AlphaSortOrg where I put the org name formatted to be sorted alphabetically (and sometimes abbreviated).  (I have an AlphaSortSal for Individuals, and then merge the two together when necessary.)  There's also a SortKey field, but I don't know how that works with Org records.  It's a little bit of extra work to copy the name to the Attribute every time I create a new Org Record, but for the most part it's been worthwhile.



    I did a little testing today.


    Exporting from a Query (I know, I know, Query is just a grouping tool; but when you need something simple and really fast...) with a backslash in the Name field ("AAAA\\Z Company") results in both the Constituent Name and the Sort Key fields both appearing as "AAAA Z Company".  Which is fine, until you sort in Excel.  Excel sorts on A instead of Z.


    In Export, you can choose Sort Key or Sort Name.  Sort Key shows up as "'Z Company,05925-593-0000087027" (the Constituent Import ID appended to the part of the Name after the backslash) and Sort Name appears as "'Z COMPANY" in all caps.  This works, so long as you remember to include one of those two fields, and so long as those you may be sending lists to understand how to sort (i.e. on those fields instead of on Name).  I suppose you could add a column, use a Format formula in Excel to fix the capitalization, copy that column and paste-as-values, and then just use the Sort Name field when working with the data.  But if the first part of the name does make a difference, you'd have to go thru and adjust any of those.  For me, I'm happy with my method.


    Like Deb, I also have a Donor Listing Attribute.  So I am already copying the Name to that Attribute (and then editing as necessary), which means that for me, this really isn't much extra work.  I did contemplate using Alias, but the risk of someone unintentionally changing that was too great at my last org.  And I like putting in the date and a comment, particularly with the one for the Donor Listing.

  • Amy Stubbings
    Amy Stubbings ✭
    Ancient Membership Facilitator 1 Photogenic Loyalty

    Jen Claudy:

     

    Jen Claudy:

    Because I export data often to external from RE process, I have done away with using the \\ in names.  Instead, I have a Constituent Attribute of AlphaSortOrg where I put the org name formatted to be sorted alphabetically (and sometimes abbreviated).  (I have an AlphaSortSal for Individuals, and then merge the two together when necessary.)  There's also a SortKey field, but I don't know how that works with Org records.  It's a little bit of extra work to copy the name to the Attribute every time I create a new Org Record, but for the most part it's been worthwhile.



    I did a little testing today.


    Exporting from a Query (I know, I know, Query is just a grouping tool; but when you need something simple and really fast...) with a backslash in the Name field ("AAAA\\Z Company") results in both the Constituent Name and the Sort Key fields both appearing as "AAAA Z Company".  Which is fine, until you sort in Excel.  Excel sorts on A instead of Z.


    In Export, you can choose Sort Key or Sort Name.  Sort Key shows up as "'Z Company,05925-593-0000087027" (the Constituent Import ID appended to the part of the Name after the backslash) and Sort Name appears as "'Z COMPANY" in all caps.  This works, so long as you remember to include one of those two fields, and so long as those you may be sending lists to understand how to sort (i.e. on those fields instead of on Name).  I suppose you could add a column, use a Format formula in Excel to fix the capitalization, copy that column and paste-as-values, and then just use the Sort Name field when working with the data.  But if the first part of the name does make a difference, you'd have to go thru and adjust any of those.  For me, I'm happy with my method.


    Like Deb, I also have a Donor Listing Attribute.  So I am already copying the Name to that Attribute (and then editing as necessary), which means that for me, this really isn't much extra work.  I did contemplate using Alias, but the risk of someone unintentionally changing that was too great at my last org.  And I like putting in the date and a comment, particularly with the one for the Donor Listing.

     

    We use \\ and always export Sort Key.  The only issues I've found is when I come across orgs that are coded in correctly - no \\, using a /, spaces where they shouldn't be.

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