Set the default value in a table based on a different field?

[KarenH]

I have a table that is created and updated through the import of Excel files.
There is a field that is necessary in the table that are not contained in
the Excel files, and I'm trying to find a way to enter it as a default value
in the table.

There is a field that comes in called "Address". It is a string value where
the first two characters are the two-letter state abbrev, followed by a
county. There is another field in the database called State. I'd like to
populate that by pulling the left two characters from the value in the
Address field.

So far, I'm not successful. I can't tell if it's not possible, or if I just
haven't figured out how to do it.

Thanks in advance for answers/suggestions

 

[Jerry Whittle]

UPDATE YourTable
SET [State] = Left([Address], 2)
WHERE [State] Is Null ;