Alteryx datetime string to date

[terrellchong]

Hi all, I have a column of string that is in different pattern and i would like to parse it all into a standardize format.

I had running out of ideas, from parsing it and remerge it, to using 3 datetime or more and edit it for each column so that it can parse all the data

the way i did is not efficient so I would like to ask in community for a better way to do it.

Thanks!

edited - was look into bb date parsing method, but found no way to download it.

[PhilipMannering]

The title seems to indicate you want to convert to Time but there are no time data formats in Book2.xlsx. Is this correct?

[terrellchong]

oh sorry, is to date! sorry sorry.

[terrellchong]

bump!

[Qiu]

@terrellchong 
I checked the data and I am sorry but I gave up.
The date is having like dd-MM-yyyy and MM-dd-yyyy and I dont alteryx can tell which is which. 🤔

[csh8428]

@terrellchong The input columns are in various formats and even the data within them differ, so I don't think there's a way to programmatically change them all.

How I would do it:

1. Filter each field based on it's format(has a dash, a period, a slash, etc...)
2. Union the ones with the same format
3. Use a multi-row formula(datetimeparse) and apply it to the fields based on the format
4. Union all the fixed fields back

[ztriano]

@terrellchong See attached update. I determined all of the different possible types of dates in your data and i converted each one individually and i was able to then merge them back together with a formula tool and then reform it into the original format. In the container I made, I did a check to ensure I converted all of the dates. In the last tool of the container, I put the items i was unable to convert since they do not appear to be in a date format. I hope this helps!

[binuacs]

@terrellchong Multi-Formula tool would help

Spoiler