Please forgive this software question.

I'm trying to make a mailing list more 'intelligent'. For example, I want to make sure that if 5 different names are living at the same address, only one gets all the enclosures. (All five have to stay on the list because each is a member in their own right, so removing the other four isn't an option!)

Currently the list is in MS Word/Exel and I'm running XP Home.

Is there someone out there who could kindly offer help? I'm happy to buy a little bit of extra software if there's a sophisticated programme I could use that could make the mailing more flexible, and therefore efficient and cost-effective.

Thanks

P,

What you are looking for is called database de-duplication software or de-dupe for short.

It's unusual, however, to keep your records in a spreadsheet (Excel). Normal practise is to keep them in a database (Access). You might find that you first need to export your records into database software before being able to de-dupe them.

Some specialist mailing list databases such as Cardbox have add-ons which de-dupe so, if you haven't got database software already, it might be worth looking at Cardbox and other software like it.

Otherwise you need to do a Google search for de-dupe software and find out which databases they work with.

Thanks, Hilary. I just inherited the list but I'm sure I can improve my predicament now I know where to look. Appreciated.

In any dedpuping process, it is very important to have the list accurately and fully postcoded. If the list is not too big it will be worthwhile to manually look at it and try and standardise the format for the various fields, particularly the first line of the address.

Thanks, Haystack.

Priscilla, if it's not too huge a list it might well be easier to change it manually to a list of member households, including in each entry a list of the people who are members within that household. That would then enable you to print letters by household or by member without the complexity introduced by a deduping step.

Another good idea. Thanks, Kayak. The list is about 600-700 names and addresses. A daunting re-typing task but I have ensured they all have full postcodes.

P,

I hadn't realised that your list was relatively small and so de-dupe software is therefore pretty pointless (unless it's free or a trial version). I've worked with databases of around 40k names and de-dupe software comes into its own in that instance.

If I were you, I think that I'd order (sort) the list alpha numerically by postcode and then scroll through it manually to spot the dupes. Ordering should put the identical addresses next to each other within the list making them easy to spot. You could easily create a fresh field within the list to distinguish between the primary and secondary members of a household and then just mail the primary members.

Thanks again, Hilary. Half the solution is knowing what information is relevant to give you. But everybody's help and suggestions have been very helpful and saved me loads of time, effort and money.

Try putting the list into a database with the key set up as Postcode, Surname, First line of address (If you have the surname as a separate field, Ifnottrhen itmight be useful to create a new field with just surname). You could then allocate a household number to each household. Yo couldthen reorder the list again with the key now set as Postcode, First line of address, surname and see if there is any difference.

I used to have a direct marketing database company. We built and ran as a bureau, individual data bases holding 25 million names and address plus 150 million transactions. I wrote the deduping software. Some databases will let you create a 'soundex' version of a field. This is useful for names that have beem badly spelt in some cases and variations of Mac, Mc, O'Brien, Obrien etc. It can also be used to soundex the first line of the address.

It is also worth checking that the Postcodes have been entered in a consistent format.

Grouping just by Postcodewill give you an accuracy of between 8 and say 30 addresses depending on whether it is a country or metropolitan area.

I've just checked this machine and it's loaded with MS Access 2000 and I'm pretty sure there must be a more current version. Before I start twiddling with the data, perhaps I should be using something more up-to-date. Can I just download MS Access 2005 or similar from somewhere on the net?

Haystack, your points are well made. I've got umpteen dozen varieties of Mc, Mac and O's. 99% of the database is from Scotland. Do you recommend any particular database software, or is Access good enough - if I can get a current version?

The latest version of Access is 2003 and you have to purchase it or pay the upgrade fee. Yours should be OK.

These might help

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/ooa/HIVReporting/SOUNDEX/WebDownloads/Soundex/DHS 8641 SC.pdf

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/ooa/HIVReporting/SOUNDEX/WebDownloads/Soundex/Soundex_Excel.xls

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/ooa/HIVReporting/fpdb/Soundex_Access.mdb

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/ooa/HIVReporting/SOUNDEX/WebDownloads/Soundex/Soundex_Tools_Info.doc

I wouldn't bother with moving everything over to a database for 600-700 addresses. In terms of simplicity I think hilary's suggestion in post 4337 is the best, assuming the list is on a spreadsheet and it's easy to sort by postcode.

Since you guys are so knowledgable and I'm so "PC Thick", is there a simple way to back up my entire hard disk?
About every 18 months or so, my computer seems to start going very badly wrong. I am sure this is due to viruses as I am online 24/7 and my system security has to be quite weak due to the amount of access I need to let my PC have so it can be constantly updating from various suppliers etc. It is also due to the hammer it gets, of course, but when it goes it goes big style (Twice now) and I end up buying a new PC.
The fact of buying another doesn't bother me. It is that I end up spending a month rewritng the stuff I have lost, and reloading masses of quotation and database software.
I am told there is some way of taking a picture of your hard drive, and storing this on a dvd. How does this work, will it work for me and does it matter that I do not have the Windows disk, cos as usual it was pre-installed under license.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Alan

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=17781554603&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=62833

Alan,this will back up the whole pc and easy to install via usb,plug and save all the info.

Mega...

hewittalan6, it more complicated than just getting an external drive (the lacie drive MB mentions is however a good one).

We have covered this subject many times in ths thread before if you can work out how to search it its in here.

So, if I had an external drive I can dump my entire hard drive onto there periodically and if my system crashes I could wipe my entire drive, plug in the external and reboot from there?
Is that the basics of it?
Alan

Alan, No not without extra software and a clear method. Sorry its more complicated.

Computers always are :-((((
I have never worked out whether they are really clever machines designed by really dumb people or really dumb machines designed by really clever people.
Either is a disastrous combination.
I am always being told how important it is to back up all my work and files, and when I decide i better start doing it , I find you need a degree in computer sciences.
Big market for anyone who comes up with a cheap and efficient way of doing it!!
Thanks anyway,
Alan

Alan, the other problem you need to consider is this; if you believe that you computer goes badly wrong due to virusues then these same viruses will also be sitting on the back up hard drive. If this is the case then using the backup disc to restore ALL your data will almost certainly fail.

If you are strict with your folder structure you could just back up your data files (my documents?) to DVD or HDD. You would then have a much greater chance of successsfully accessing these via a 2nd or replacement PC. (Bear in mind that your emails, address book and internet favorites are not stored in 'my documents' by default and you may need to copy these to your data folders if you want a backup of these)

This application is very good at doing just what you need and has a non technical user interface which makes backup and restoration to a new pc very easy;

Acronis backup software

If your data is business critical I really would recommend paying a techie to look at your set up and do the set up and configuration for you.

Neil