empty sort name field

We've got thousands, but they are all inactive = 5.

The one's I've spot checked are all active.

Do the same customer_no's have no sort_name in TS_Customer? Looks like the v11 migration stores those there before the final commit.

Sort name formats are maintained in TR_SALUTATION_FORMAT and applied to the constituent using the default salutation and selected format.  For a new constituent the system uses the default format for the constituent type.  If you right click on the Gen Sal button on the general tab and select a salutation format that does not have the sort name column populated then the system does remove the sort name.  If you are seeing this with a lot of VIPs it is possible that someone was generating salutations using a format without sort name populated.  

There is no system error if you do not have a sort name but it is possible that anywhere in the application where you sort by name you may get unexpected results (like in reports or list manager contents etc.).

Best,

Anna

Hi Anna!

I suspect that's it: our Contact (Label) and Header salutations had blanks for the "sort columns".  There's a "Single Name Sort", a "Double Name Sort" and a "Same Name Sort".  I filled them all in, presuming there's not reason not to, though I'm not sure what they all mean.

--Gawain

--and, having found that, is there a good way to automatically populate sort names into the constituents lacking one?

Nevermind: all active...but dead or nameless.

Thanks Ryan!