What's the match style of these three nicknames?

[jovia]

Hi, 

I created my own nickname table trying to match the following first names. I can't figure out the custom setting in the match style, especially matching Tianhuianna with Anna. 

I tried one tip from Nicholas-or-Nick-name-A-Guide-to-Tweaking-your-Fuzzy-Matching knowledge base article: 

 'Set Generate Keys to “None” when using the Names w/ Nicknames match style IF you have the First Name in a single field.'

I got an error: Keys must be generated for at least one field. 

GroupName	Name
Tianhuianna	Anna
Mdrumen	Md
Theodore	Ted

[patrick_mcauliffe]

Hey @jovia , can you post screenshots of the fuzzy match configuration you're using?

[jovia]

Hi @patrick_mcauliffe 

Thank you for looking into it. I am using merge mode, because the names are from two different apps that people can do free entry. Did I have the groupname and name wrong? That is, should I put Ted in the GroupName field, and Theodore in the Name field? I am doing match on three fields: date, Last name and Frist name. The date column has to be the same day (I used exact match), last name and first name are both custom match. Match on last name is stricter than first name. 

I am attaching a sample data flow. 

If I also want to match Last name Diaz to Diazrosales, do I need to create a separate nickname last name table?

[patrick_mcauliffe]

Hey @jovia it looks like the custom nickname file didn't export with the workflow.

Although, I still might have some suggestions.

Merge mode sounds right, given that you want to compare names entered into one system against names entered into another system.

As for GroupName vs Name; in a many to one situation, which do you consider the many and which do you consider the one?  For example if you want Theodore and Ted to both match to Ted, then the GroupName would be Ted and the Name would contain both Theodore and Ted.

For DIaz and Diazrosales, I would have the GroupName be Diaz and the names contain Diaz and Diazrosales.

I look at it from the angle of which is more generically applicable to multiple names - that's the group.

Personally, I've never been a fan of highly specific nickname matching.  It works well for many users, but in the use cases I've had it would require a lot of upkeep.

I prefer a more hands off approach by lowering the specificity of matching.  For example, since the letters t-e-d are contained in both Ted and Theodore I would use an alphanumeric key with character match function and lower the specificity of matching.  That takes a while to tune right, but in some use cases requires less upkeep.

If you can send over the custom nickname file (or a sample of it), I can take another look too.

[jovia]

Hi @patrick_mcauliffe , 

Thank you for your response. I added 8 rows into Alteryx's default nickname table (attached). Is this the right way to make my custom nickname table? I thought nickname table is only for matching first name. It would match last name too? 

I prefer hands off matching too. Maybe the setting is not right, so I didn't get the right results. 

I need to find out who checked in from ABC but not checked in from XYZ on the same day. When my user looked at my draft report, she pointed out those 4 names did checked in both systems. 

[ChrisTX]

@jovia See if any of these links help.

Tips and Tricks for Fuzzy Matching
Community > Designer > Browse Knowledge > Tips and Tricks for Fuzzy Matching
https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Knowledge-Base/Tips-and-Tricks-for-Fuzzy-Matching/ta-p/1230

Guide to nickname fuzzy matching
Community > Designer > Browse Knowledge > Nicholas or Nick(name) - A Guide to Tweaking your Fuzzy Matching
https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Knowledge-Base/Nicholas-or-Nick-name-A-Guide-to-Tweaking-yo...

Tips and Tricks when working with Nicknames

• Set Generate Keys to “None” when using the Names w/ Nicknames match style IF you have the First Name in a single field.
• If your name is contained in a single field (John Smith or Smith, John), you will want to select a method to Generate Keys and check the box “Generate Keys for Each Word”.
• The “Soundex” method of generating keys is generally preferred when working with names.

Fuzzy Match Edit Match Options
https://help.alteryx.com/current/FuzzyEditMatchOptions.htm

Fuzzy Match FAQ
https://help.alteryx.com/current/FuzzyFAQ.htm

Tool Mastery | Fuzzy Match
Community > Designer > Browse Knowledge > Tool Mastery | Fuzzy Match
https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Knowledge-Base/Tool-Mastery-Fuzzy-Match/ta-p/45485

Chris

[patrick_mcauliffe]

@jovia Thanks.  Technically the nickname matching is just a name/word match and you decide which field it applies to.

I took another look and thought this through a little more....

Part of the issue causing a need for custom nickname matching is that you're having a match key created on each separate word in each name field.  So, in the case of a space in the name that's creating two keys when there only should be one.  Although this applies to the last name more so than the first name in your situation.

Also, I could be wrong about this, but I've generally found that a wider match for names can be achieved using the whole field key generation.

Take a look at this one attached.  Some of these will match without a custom nickname set up, just by widening the match criteria.

[jovia]

Hi @patrick_mcauliffe , 

Thanks for bringing up the whole field key generation. It makes sense after your explanation. 

I try to apply the custom nickname match on the no match results, because 2 more people are supposed to have matched records. 

I just copied your fuzzy match setting with a change to my custom nickname table. MD was matched to MDRUMEN. How come no match between ANNA (record 7) and TIANHUIANNA (record 111231) even with the custom nickname table applied? I thought the custom nickname table is hard coding the match. 

[patrick_mcauliffe · Accepted solution]

@jovia  my understanding was the same as yours.  But after a little tinkering, I realized where we went wrong.

The top set of criteria in the match options is sill looking to make a key match before going to a word/name match.

To force it to do a name/nickname-only match, set Generate Keys to None.

I just ran that and it pulled directly from the nicknames list to do matching.