Convert full name to abbreviation

[mamasonflowa]

I have lost way to much sleep over this one. Someone please help!

Customers report their webpage problems through a on-line survey. The raw data is given to me in excel that I then import into a database I created. The customers picks from a list of 10 problem categories (Can't Find Form; Need a Refund, etc). When I generate the Action Report that is emailed to the technicians for fixes, they only need to see a code where the categories is. Example:

RAW DATA
WEB PAGE / PROBLEM / DESCRIPTION
www;page / Forms and Publications / Won't download properly

ACTION REPORT
PROBLEM / TECH ASSIGNED / DESCRIPTION
FRM / Guru / Won't download properly

Help

 

[vbaInet]

The example you've shown isn't completely understandable.

If you want to have abbreviations, create an extra column in the Categories table, put the abbreviations in there and link it up to your report's source.

 

[mamasonflowa]

VNAInet;
Thank you for responding. After reading my message, I realize that what I did. So, I have two tables. One is called "Issues" and the other is called "Tasks". The Task table has only the 10 tasks that the can be selected, plus a column that I put the abbreviations for these tasks in it. So, it has 3 columns, the ID (auto generated), the Tasks (spelled out), the Abbrev Tasks.

The Issue table has all of the imported raw excel spreadsheet data. It has one Tasks column that has the Tasks (spelled out) in it as they were selected by user.

My report is currently generated off of the Issues table but what I want it to do is grab the abbreviated Tasks from the Tasks table. You know, have it take the spelled out Task in Issues table, match it with the one in the Tasks table, but display the abbreviation in the report.

Does that explanation work? Am I asking the impossible for access?

 

[CBrighton]

You should be able to add both tables to a query and link them on the un-abbrv task name?

You could then cherry pick the fields which you want from the two tables (likely all of the Issues table minus the un-abbrv task name plus the abbrv task name from the tasks table).

 

[vbaInet]

I would say that if you're looking to do this on a regular basis then you should looking to normalize the Issues table.

The full and abbrev tasks should be in the Tasks table as two separate fields. The ID of the Task table should be a foreign key in the Issues table so that you can then choose whether you want the abbrev or full task description in a query via the TaskID.