Input Data Errors - problem with excel formula

Hi all,

I am new in alteryx community (my first subject) and I have an issue with a data input. Database table have formulas in a rows(excel file). After uploading it to the alteryx i get incorrect result of the formulas. In excel file the result of the formula '=G45' gives me string 'Record' in alteryx it shows '00:00:00'. I tried to look for the answer but I haven't found anything. Thank you in advance for help or any suggestions...

Lukas

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NicoleJohnson

Actually, I ran into a situation like this recently with an odd field showing up like a date, pretty sure I know what's causing it - the field that is in your Excel file is probably formatted as a Time format... so even though it looks right in Excel because Excel sees that it's a word not a time, when Alteryx reads the file, it tries to make the data match the formats that are designated in the Excel file, so it's converting it to Time (and a word converted to time will show up as 00:00:00...)

So if you can change the format of that field in your original Excel file to General or Text or something like that, you should be good to go!

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BenMoss

Hey, welcome to the community!

Is it possible to post the excel file that is causing the issue? If not could you recreate the issue with a censored excel file?

Ben

NicoleJohnson

So if you can change the format of that field in your original Excel file to General or Text or something like that, you should be good to go!

newbiee

Hi Nicole, yep that works. Is there any option to not change that in the data file but in alteryx after upload?

Thanks again!

kk0117

I am using a directory tool to pull files and am getting the error "00:00:00" . I followed your suggestions and tried to change to format to "General" & Text. However it does not work.

I also have a batch workflow which picks up the columns currently however gives me an error in my main workflow

WJGonzaga

So what I found in my case was, because I formulas, for example vlookups, that are embedded in my excel input file/sheet, allowed the first line to produce a #N/A for a non match. What I found was when I replaced all #N/A and NULL values with blanks, Alteryx digested those fields correctly.

Therefore, my solution was a few more data prep steps in excel before I sourced from it in Alteryx.

1. I copied and pasted all values as Values. This eliminated embedded formulas.

2. Then I found and replaced all #N/A and NULL values.

3. Saved and closed file.

4. Ran Alteryx workflow.

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