Separate First and Last Name fields

[lpopejoy]

This is something I've brought up before, but it's been a few years...

CommitCRM just has a generic "Contact" field where we are expected to stick a contact's name. Then there is a "last name" field where CommitCRM tries to auto figure out a contacts last name.

Problems:
1) No way to ensure consistency. Huge issue. Some people may put last name, first name - others may do the opposite.
2) Terrible to integrate with other platforms. EVERY other platform has separate fields for first and last names. Trying to split this "contact" field and get the right data to the right places is almost impossible.
3) So since we've been doing last name, first name, we can't export to a CSV to import to mail chimp. Guess what, our contact field has a comma in it - and CommitCRM doesn't put quotes around text fields inside the CSV doc. Pointless anyway I suppose - there's no way to refer to those first and last names separately anyway.
4) Consistency. I know - I said it already, but it drives me crazy.
5) Searching. I want to pull stuff up by last name.


Please please please! Make your software consistent with industry norms!!! There is a good reason to split these fields out and no good reason not to. I realize that fixing this now is going to be hard. However, better to have the pain now, IMO. Why drag it out? If no one else cares right now, they will the first time they try to do anything I just mentioned.

[Support Team]

Feedback noted, what you listed sound reasonable though it does not list the benefits of the way RangerMSP works.

As far as we remember from a past discussion with you on this, at your business you use the Contact field in a way that you first enter the Last Name and then the First Name, and if so that is not the recommended way and this might cause some of the issues you referred to. We recommend storing that the Contact field will hold the first name first and then the last name.

One more thing: Searching by Last Name is already there. First, the system will find you any contact by its Last Name when simply using the default keyword search. Next, from the search drop down on the toolbar you can select not to globally search by keyword but rather to search by 'Last Name'. Done!

CSV export - RangerMSP does wrap values with double quotes.
Besides, you can always export to Excel, and with that it should be easy to add a new calculated column that holds the value of the Contact field text minus the value of the Last Name field text.

In any case, your feedback is clear and appreciated.

[lpopejoy]

Try an account advanced export to csv. There are no double quotes.

When creating a new ticket, we are able to start typing the persons last name. With 2500 accounts, that gets us to the right person MUCH faster than typing the first few letters of a person's first name and getting a list of "Johns" or whatever.

See what I mean? Does more painless and seamless integration with other systems not have ANY value to you guys? Why dismiss this as "you aren't doing it the right way?" There's a real issue in planning and usability here. Not trying to be arrogant about it - I know you probably have SOME reason...

[Support Team]

Ye, that's important. Thanks.

[lpopejoy]

Ok, so should text in CSV be enclosed in quotes? If so, how do I get that to happen?

[Support Team]

For this export to Excel and in case you need CSV in various notations Save As... the Excel file.

Hope this helps.

[lpopejoy]

Am I beating a dead horse here - or is there some change that the system will be updated to separate first/last name fields sometime in the future?

[Support Team]

At the low level database level we are probably not going to change it. However, you can already refer to the First Name only in Email Templates, and - our next release will also support exporting the first name as its own column/field so that should be handy, and it'll also be supported for report so when you customize a report you'll be able to use that instead of the full contact name.

Hope this helps.

[lpopejoy]

That sounds like a step in the right direction!

Will I be able to make sure first name and last name are separated on the "new account" screen?

[Support Team]

We do not have any plans to change the interface. Thanks!