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Update NPSP Account Naming Convention

Quick Start

🏠 Customizing household names? Configure NPSP's automatic naming convention to standardize how household account names are generated from contact information.

  1. Open NPSP Settings → 2. Go to People > Households → 3. Edit naming settings → 4. Configure convention → 5. Save

What you'll accomplish: Configure the Nonprofit Success Pack automatic household naming convention to ensure consistent and professional account name generation based on your organization's preferences in about 8 minutes.

🚀 Quickstart​

  1. Navigate to NPSP Settings from App Launcher
  2. Go to People section and click Households
  3. Edit automatic household naming settings
  4. Configure naming convention and order
  5. Save settings and test with new households

⚠️ Before You Start​

📋 Prerequisites Checklist
  • You have System Administrator permissions or equivalent NPSP permissions
  • Access to NPSP Settings (Author Apex, Customize Application, Modify All Data)
  • Understanding of your organization's naming preferences
  • Knowledge of how automatic naming affects existing accounts
  • Coordination with data management team

💡 Understanding NPSP Household Naming​

What Automatic Naming Does:

  • Generates account names automatically from contact information
  • Maintains consistency across household accounts
  • Updates names when contact information changes
  • Follows configurable rules for name construction

How Naming Works:

  1. Contact added to household account
  2. System evaluates naming rules and contact hierarchy
  3. Account name generated based on configuration
  4. Name updated automatically when contacts change

Common Naming Patterns:

  • "Smith Household" - Last name + "Household"
  • "John and Mary Smith" - First names + last name
  • "Smith Family" - Last name + "Family"
  • "The Smiths" - "The" + plural last name
NPSP Dependency

This configuration requires the Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) to be installed and properly configured in your Salesforce org.

📘 Detailed Instructions​

Step 1: Access NPSP Settings​

  1. Open App Launcher and search for "NPSP Settings"
  2. Click "NPSP Settings" from search results
  3. Wait for NPSP Settings interface to load
  4. Verify you have access to configuration options
Permission Requirements

NPSP Settings require System Administrator profile or these permissions: Author Apex, Customize Application, Modify All Data.

Step 2: Navigate to Household Settings​

  1. Click "People" from the left-side navigation menu
  2. Select "Households" from the People submenu
  3. Wait for household configuration page to load
  4. Review current naming settings

Step 3: Edit Naming Configuration​

🏠 Household Naming Options

Automatic Household Naming Components:

  • Enable/Disable - Turn automatic naming on or off
  • Naming Format - How names are constructed
  • Contact Priority - Which contacts are used in names
  • Name Updates - When names are automatically updated

Naming Strategies:

  • Formal - "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith"
  • Casual - "John and Mary Smith"
  • Traditional - "The Smith Family"
  • Simple - "Smith Household"

Contact Ordering:

  • Primary contact first
  • Creation date order (earliest first)
  • Alphabetical by first name
  • Custom hierarchy based on organization rules
  1. Click "Edit" to modify household naming settings
  2. Verify "Automatic Household Naming" checkbox is checked
  3. Review current naming convention configuration
  4. Prepare to make desired updates

Step 4: Configure Naming Rules​

Standard Configuration Options:

  1. Naming Format - Choose how names are constructed
  2. Contact Inclusion - Determine which contacts appear in names
  3. Separator Characters - Set how multiple names are joined
  4. Suffix Options - Configure "Household", "Family", etc.

Contact Priority Rules:

  • Primary Contact - Designated primary contact appears first
  • Creation Date - Earliest created contacts have priority
  • Relationship Priority - Spouses, then children, then others
  • Custom Ordering - Organization-specific contact hierarchy

Step 5: Test and Validate​

  1. Save naming configuration
  2. Test with sample household creation
  3. Verify names generate as expected
  4. Adjust settings if needed

✅ How to Know It Worked​

Success Indicators:

  • ✅ NPSP Settings save without errors
  • ✅ Automatic naming checkbox remains checked
  • ✅ New household accounts follow naming convention
  • ✅ Existing accounts update appropriately (if configured)

Testing the Configuration:

  • Create test household with multiple contacts
  • Verify name generation follows your convention
  • Test name updates when contacts change
  • Check consistency across different contact scenarios

🆘 Troubleshooting​

❌ Cannot Access NPSP Settings

Problem: NPSP Settings not available in App Launcher

Contact your System Administrator to verify:

  • ✅ NPSP is installed and configured in your org
  • ✅ User permissions include required NPSP permissions
  • ✅ Profile settings allow access to NPSP configuration
  • ✅ Permission sets include NPSP administrative access
❌ Automatic Naming Not Working

Problem: Account names not generating automatically

Solutions:

  • ✅ Verify checkbox - Ensure "Automatic Household Naming" is checked
  • ✅ Check contact relationships - Verify contacts are properly related to accounts
  • ✅ Review naming rules - Ensure configuration is complete and valid
  • ✅ Test with new accounts - Try creating fresh household accounts
❌ Names Not Updating

Problem: Existing account names not updating with configuration changes

Solutions:

  • ✅ Check update settings - Some configurations only affect new accounts
  • ✅ Manual refresh - May need to trigger name updates manually
  • ✅ Review contact changes - Updates may only occur when contacts change
  • ✅ Test scenarios - Verify which actions trigger name updates
❌ Naming Format Issues

Problem: Names generate incorrectly or inconsistently

Solutions:

  • ✅ Review configuration - Check all naming rule settings
  • ✅ Test contact scenarios - Try different contact combinations
  • ✅ Check character limits - Verify names don't exceed field limits
  • ✅ Validate formatting - Ensure proper spacing and punctuation

💡 Best Practices​

NPSP Naming Best Practices
  • 📋 Document Standards - Clearly document your organization's naming conventions
  • 🧪 Test Thoroughly - Test with various contact scenarios before going live
  • 📞 Communicate Changes - Inform users about naming convention updates
  • 🔍 Monitor Results - Review generated names regularly for quality
  • 📊 Consistency First - Prioritize consistent naming over complex rules
  • 💼 Staff Training - Train staff on how automatic naming works

Implementation Strategy:

  • Gradual rollout - Implement during low-activity periods
  • User communication - Explain changes to staff and stakeholders
  • Quality monitoring - Review generated names for appropriateness
  • Feedback collection - Gather input on naming effectiveness

Common Configurations:

  • Religious organizations - "The Smith Family" or "Smith Household"
  • Educational institutions - "Smith Family" or "John and Mary Smith"
  • Healthcare nonprofits - Professional formatting for patient families
  • Social services - Sensitive naming for diverse family structures

Maintenance Activities:

  • Regular review - Evaluate naming effectiveness quarterly
  • Rule adjustments - Update rules based on user feedback
  • Exception handling - Plan for special naming cases
  • Data cleanup - Periodically review and clean up account names

🔗 Related Actions​