header names change each time workflow is ran

I have a file that the headers change each time the file is ran. I need to remove the columns labeled as "field" but I'm not sure how to do that when the numbers keep changing each time.

1st run

Field_16_10

SSN

Last Name

Field_16_2

Field_16_3

Source

Field_16_4

Field_16_5

Fund ID

Field_16_6

Field_16_7

Field_16_8

2nd run

Field_18

SSN

Field_18_2

Last Name

Field_18_3

Field_18_4

Source

Field_18_5

Field_18_6

Fund ID

Field_18_7

Field_18_8

Field_18_9

Developer

Accepted answers

nagakavyasri

@sericson One way is to add the field names that you need in the Dynamic Select tool by explicitly mentioning them.

Screenshot 2024-11-05 142400.png

All comments

binu_acs

@sericson use the dynamic select tool to exclude the fields starting with Field

DynamicSelect_05112024.yxmd

alexnajm

Dynamic Select should do the trick! !Contains([Name], "field")

Edit: @binu_acs beat me to it 😃

OTrieger

@sericson
Another way will be to use Select Tool, and tick those fields that you need and keep the Unknown unticked, in this was Alteryx will keep only those fields that you need and will remove any new fields that keep changes.

sericson

thank you! both of these ways work, however, I did forget that 2 of the columns with the "field" names have information that I need. I can't change the header name due to the changing "field" names. how can I overcome this?

nagakavyasri

@sericson One way is to add the field names that you need in the Dynamic Select tool by explicitly mentioning them.

Screenshot 2024-11-05 142400.png

CoG

If the fields you want to remove have only null values, then you can use the Data Cleansing tool to "Remove null columns". Otherwise, how do you know which fields that are named "field..." you want to keep?

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