The preferred_name field is intended to be used if the student goes by a name that differs from their given first name.
It is strongly advised to not sync in the user's full name in the preferred_name field, as this will create an undesired (and confusing) effect on the user's profile.
*Note: This field needs to be updated in your student system. If not, then any changes made in Handshake manually will be overwritten on the next import.
Example 1:
Student's full name = Christina Thompson
preferred_name = Tina
Profile will display: Tina Thompson
Example 2:
Student's full name = Christina Thompson
preferred_name = Thompson, Tina
Profile will display: Thompson, Tina Thompson
If you have accidentally processed a file using the student's full name in the preferred_name field, this can be corrected by either:
- Updating the preferred_name to include only their first name or nickname
OR - Inserting **CLEAR** (in preferred_name field) for each student whose name you would like to clear out.