Easy task - split email addresses into batches of 100 - is there a more efficient way?

[jt_edin]

I'm wondering if there's a more efficient way to do the following task:

1. Take long list of email addresses (could be thousands or millions)
2. Split them into chunks of 100, each separated with a semicolon and space

They can then be pasted into Outook message field. I realise there are better ways to send mass mailings but this is just an example!

It's not difficult, and I've done it as follows, but I'm guessing there's a more concise way, or possibly even a special tool that does exactly this. If I don't ask I might not learn, so please let me know if I'm missing something obvious. Thanks!

[gc]

What is your measure of efficiency, jt_edin? Is it how long the process takes? Is that what you are seeking to improve?

[NicoleJohnson · Accepted solution]

Try using the Tile tool - eliminates the need to add Record ID's and use a Floor formula. You can choose the "Equal Methods" Tile Method and then designate the number of "batches" of emails you'd like to create. The tool will then split up the field into the designated number batches, at which point you can Group by the Tile_Num field and concatenate email addresses with the ; delimiter. Not much more efficient than the method you started with, but possibly a bit cleaner.

Two additional thoughts:

1. You probably want to "anonymize" your data the next time you include an attachment, for privacy reasons... scramble the names, create some fake addresses, etc. :)

2. Have you tried the Reporting tools in Alteryx? There is an email tool that will send your emails for you, so you don't need to copy & paste concatenated lists into emails. You could use the workflow to batch your email addresses together, add the text/message/attachment that you'd like to send out in your mass mailing, and run the workflow to send them out in those designated batches. Depending on your use case, this might be an option for you? Just a note to test it thorougly in disabled mode before accidentally blasting a bunch of emails out, though! 

Hope that helps.

NJ

[jt_edin]

Thanks, I will check out the Tile tool! Actually the email addresses are randomly generated off the web, so no worries about confidentiality there, I should have made that clearer!