How to parse date from row of multiple dates included (start date - stop date)

Question

I am trying to separate the start and stop date from a row of data that both included.

Here is what it looks like:

PayPeriod07/21/2019 - 08/03/2019  (Biweekly)

and this is what I am looking for:

Start DateStop Date07/21/201908/03/2019

any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

NickSm · Accepted Answer

Hey @darenson

Can RegEx the date pattern pretty easily for splitting that:

Could also use a text-to-columns on the "-", but would want to trim what's within the parentheses as an extra step.

estherb47 · Accepted Answer

Hi @darenson

I’d go with a Text to Columns tool, using the hyphen and a space as the delimiters. I think if you parse into 2 columns, and choose the option to drop what doesn’t fit, you’ll just get the dates, but I’m not on my computer to check. You could just as easily parse into 3 columns and add a Select tool to remove what you don’t need

don’t forget to convert the dates into a date format if you need Alteryx to treat them as dates.

Let me me know if that helps.

Cheers!

Esther