count "almost" distinct values

[evgeniystuchalk]

Hello! I'm have a client base, with phone numbers and names. I want to filter bots, thats placing orders sometimes. One of the main bot's singn: one phone number with different names.

So, i can count distinct names for every phone number.

But! Sometime real customers entering ther names differently. Like this:

Perfect example. This is three versions of one name: Short Name, Extended name with error, and Real extended name.

Also, some body use several space bars between words, or even strange symbols like "+" instead of space bar.

So, my question is: How can i count this names as one?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

You could remove the "special" characters during LOAD, using PurgeChar

PurgeChar and KeepChar Functions

Then perhaps only check the first x characters from the name?

It will never be perfect, but a bit of tweaking of the parameters could get you close...

[marcus_sommer]

Maybe you performed a count([Customer ID]) instead of count([Customer Name]).

- Marcus