Greeting people by first name

When your voicemail or your follow-up text says a name, it reads the column you set as First name on Map. Lists often hold more than a first name in that column: a whole name, a name in capitals, or a couple. The builder checks the column on Review and asks you one question before anything goes out in your voice.

When the question appears

The check reads every contact's greeting. It asks when it finds names it is sure it can tidy, such as:

• a first and a middle name, or a whole name, in the one cell;

• two names joined by a sign such as + (both names stay, and the sign becomes &);

• a hyphenated name typed with spaces around its dash;

• a nickname in quotation marks or brackets beside the name;

• a name in capitals or in lower case;

• a period left at the end of a name.

Answer the question

1. On Audience, go to Review.

2. Read the notice. It says how many greetings do not read like a first name, and shows a few of them from your list.

3. Choose one:

   • Greet by first name: each of those contacts is greeted by the first name only. Couples keep both names.

   • Keep as listed: the list stays as it is.

Next waits until you choose. A list like this never goes out unseen.

What it never does

• It never guesses. A word leaves a cell only when the rules know it is a name. A name it is not sure of stays exactly as listed, and the notice names it for you to check by eye.

• It never drops a note. A cell with a note written in it, such as "do not call" or "deceased", stays as listed and is named in a sentence of its own: leave that contact out if they should not be called. Leave that contact out, or Leave these with the count and out, sets them aside with the reason "Left out by you: a note on the name", and their rows go in the set-aside download. Put back brings them back.

• It never takes a last name away. A cell is shortened only when its row keeps a last name beside it.

A column of whole names

If the column you set as First name holds whole names (a column named Name or Customer name, for example), the builder never shortens it, because your contacts' last names are read from it too.

When your file has no first-name column, the notice says the column holds whole names, shows one of them, and offers the same two choices:

• Greet by first name: the builder adds a First name column read from the whole names, and a Last name column too when your file has none. Contacts are greeted by the new First name column, and the whole-name column stays as it is. A name written last name first with a comma, such as "SHAH, PRIYA", is greeted as Priya. A name the rules are not sure of is greeted exactly as listed.

• Keep as listed: the names are greeted as your list has them. Greet by first name instead is still offered.

Next waits until you choose, and the foot of the step says "Choose how to greet them". After Greet by first name, the notice says how many greetings changed and shows one, with Undo to take the added columns away.

When your file already has a first-name column, the notice names it: choose that column as First name on Map. When the rules are not sure of any of the whole names, the notice says to add a First Name column to your file and upload it again. In these two cases nothing waits on your answer.

Good to know

• The contact keeps the name as your list had it, even after Greet by first name. Undo puts every name back.

• Choosing another column as First name on Map gives the old column its listed names back, takes away any columns Greet by first name added, and the question is asked about the new one.

• Uploading a new file asks the question again.

• The same greeting is used in the follow-up text. See The follow-up text.

Related

• Match your columns

• Merge fields

• Upload a list