Add/Sal Formula to combine identical spousal/last names

When using salutations/addressees in mailings to married couples, it would be helpful if there were a way to only use one last name if the two constituents share their last name, but still use two last names if they do not (as is becoming more and more common).


For example:

Bob Smith and Betty Jackson would be addressed as "Bob Smith and Betty Jackson" (or any other naming variation)

but

Bob Smith and Betty Smith would be addressed as "Bob and Betty Smith" (or any other naming variation).

At a minimum, I think this would entail an additional formatting checkbox on the [Spouse Last Name] field that checks "If [Spouse Last Name] = [Last Name], remove [Spouse Last Name]," similar to how the Smart formatting option works.

Ideally, however (at least for me), a formatting option would be added to all field names that asks "If [field name] = [some value], remove [field name]" where some value can be either another field name or a user defined value to check for.

  • Aidan
  • Nov 22 2021
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  • Rachel Bailey commented
    November 28, 2021 18:51

    I did a feedback session with the Blackbaud programmers who are building out Addressee/Salutation in RE NXT and shared the same feedback. Some kind of AI that would automatically select the best-fit Add/Sal formula based on comparision of Constituent and Spouse name fields would be a HUGE timesaver!

  • Aldera Chisholm commented
    November 23, 2021 20:18

    I LOVE THIS IDEA SO MUCH!