Create a unique column from multiple columns

[davidogundipe]

I need to compare two excel spreadsheets to see if the dead people got paid.

One spreadsheet is a list of people that died, the other spreadsheet is a list of people that got paid.

There are no unique identifiers on either spreadsheets, but there are combinations of columns that may prove to be unique. For example: the name, payment type, and amount columns appear on both spreadsheets.

My team suggested I concatenate the columns that are unique in both spreadsheets and make that one column my unique identifier. I believe this makes sense, but I wanted to know if there was a better solution. 

If this is a good method, is there even a way to first prove that the combinations of these columns are unique?

[Emil_Kos · Accepted solution]

Hi @davidogundipe,

I have created a sample workflow for you.

To make sure you don't have duplicates you can use a unique tool.

Please find attached. Please ensure that all your data will be in string format thanks to that concatenation will work.

If this was something helpful for you please mark as an answer!

[atcodedog05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @davidogundipe 

Your team suggested to concat to create a combination key.

In Alteryx you dont really to conact to create combination key. You can just join on mutiple key columns(combination key) in Join Tool.

https://help.alteryx.com/current/designer/join-tool

I feel this would be much more accurate.

To prove the combination is unique. You just select multiple columns in unique tool to check combinations.

https://help.alteryx.com/current/designer/unique-tool

Hope this helps 🙂

[davidogundipe]

Thank you!

[davidogundipe]

Thanks I'm sure this works, but I just went with the join answer because that's more straight-forward.

[atcodedog05]

Happy to help 🙂 @davidogundipe 

Cheers and Happy Analyzing 😀