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Alteryx Designer Desktop Discussions

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Best way to merge disjointed files

Kallis
8 - Asteroid

Hi

 

I have 4 source files. The columns are not at all the same in any of them. I want to merge them into a single output excel. Please let me know how this can be accomplished. I tried Union but since it could not match a single column, it did not return any data.

 

INPUT                   
                    
File 1Company CodeVendorVendor NameNet Due DatePayment Date              
File 2Created DateClosed DatePO NumberCost CentreRevenue Centre              
File 3MaterialMaterial GroupProcurementPlantAmount LCY              
File 4Amount USDAmount GBPCurrencyLoading CurrencyCountry              
                    
                    
EXPECTED OUTPUT                   
                    
Company CodeVendorVendor NameNet Due DatePayment DateCreated DateClosed DatePO NumberCost CentreRevenue CentreMaterialMaterial GroupProcurementPlantAmount LCYAmount USDAmount GBPCurrencyLoading CurrencyCountry
7 REPLIES 7
alexnajm
18 - Pollux
18 - Pollux

Union is still your best option, but you can "Manually Configure Fields" so they line up the way you want!

KGT
13 - Pulsar

I'm not sure why it wouldn't return anything... Do you have Output All Fields selected?

AlteryxGui_66zHAoa6DT.png

I don't think Union is what you are after here, although it's the answer to your question to merge disconnected files. A union will stack them vertically (and leave many many Null() cells), whereas a join will put them together horizontally. Sorry if I'm covering stuff you know, but I'm confused as to what's not working here.

flying008
15 - Aurora

Hi, @Kallis 

 

FYI.

 

录制_2025_07_10_08_50_04_215.gif

Kallis
8 - Asteroid

Thank you @flying008 @KGT @alexnajm for your quick responses. I analysed the Union Tool and found it to be working.

However, I think the solution that I thought about, in itself is wrong. I do not know whether I will be able to clearly explain what I need but let me give it a try.

As of now, there is no key.

 

I have a requirement to extract 52 columns from SAP. I am using DVW Read Tool connector to extract the data. DVW is unable to handle so many columns.
Hence, I decided to split this 52 columns into 4 equal parts in 4 DVW Read Tool. In otherwords, the 52 columns is split into 13 columns per DVW Read Tool.

 

The data is now extracted properly but there is a problem.

 

Imagine there are 4 rows and 8 columns

 

Columns - Customer, Customer Name, Customer Address, PO Number, Vendor Number, Vendor Name, Invoice Number, Invoice Date

 

Each DVW Read Tool will contain 2 columns each

DVW Read Tool 1 = Customer, Customer Name
DVW Read Tool 2 = Customer Address, PO Number
DVW Read Tool 3 = Vendor Number, Vendor Name
DVW Read Tool 4 = Invoice Number, Invoice Date

 

The Read Tool extracts the data without any problem.


However, what I think is happening in the background is this
The first Read Tool reads the first row of the data and extracts Customer & Customer Name but it will not extract the other columns
The second Read Tool and I think this is what is happening in the background, will read the next row instead of Customer Address and PO Number of the first row.

Even if the Union tool works, the data is not correct.
Ideally, I want the Union Tool or any other method, to merge all the 4 Read Tools.

 

It must get the Customer, Customer Name from the first Read, append Customer Address, PO Number from the second Read, append Vendor Number, Vendor Name
from the third Read so on and so forth thereby creating a single line per record.

 

Since, all the 4 Read Tools, I suspect this is what is happening, read 4 individual lines, this solution will not work at all.


Hopefully, you can understand

KGT
13 - Pulsar

OK, I expect that someone in your org knows more about the DVW connectors then, or I would ask DVW specifically. As this isn't an issue in other posts on here, I imagine there is a simple solution, I just don't know what it is.

PangHC
13 - Pulsar

@Kallis you may try to keep some unique column for each Read Tool
For example,
keep Customer# + PO# + Vendor# + Invoice# for each Read Tool,
So that it will generate the same for pattern and able to use Multiple Join tool to merge into 1 table.

Kallis
8 - Asteroid

Hello @PangHC 

 

Yes, that is what I am trying now. 

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