Find Replace Tool - Data Type

[SX]

Hi Community,

Can all data types be used in Find Replace tool? The most common case I have used is when data type is string (e.g. change "excel" to "alteryx"), but can I use this tool to replace (part of) the date/time and number (e.g. change "01-05-2019" to "08-05-2019"}?

Thank you!

[fmvizcaino · Accepted solution]

Hi @SX ,

Sadly, the find/replace tool only works for string type columns. So if you want to replace anything inside a date or a number as well, you need to first use a select tool and transform it to a string column.

Best,

Fernando Vizcaino

[BrandonB]

Another method is to use a join tool followed by a union tool where the replace values are linked up and the non matches coming from the L or R depending on how the workflow is set up and then this is stacked together.

Then a formula tool can be used to say IIF(!IsNull([Appended Field]), [Appended Field], [Original Field])

This will set the value to the appended field value if there is one and keep it the same if not. The benefit of the join tool is that it will link up all results if there are multiple matches. The find and replace tool does tend to be a faster tool, however.

[Debjani]

Thanks for the insight.. I had another query on Find Replace Tool and thought this would be  a good opportunity to ask. Can more than one item in a single record be replaced in the tool ? Also do we need to update one column at a time or all columns can be updated at once ?

Regards

Debjani