Importing multiple files and getting different schema message

[Sim75]

Hi, 

I've just started using Alteryx and think it is really powerful but i am coming up against an issue repeatedly which causing some frustration.

I am writing a workflow to consolidate the same tab (always with the same name) from multiple excel files (called different names) into one output using the Input icon and wildcard " *.xlsx "

On some of the files I keep getting the message Warning: Input Data (61): The file "XXXXXXX" has a different schema than the 1st file in the set and will be skipped.

It doesn't seem to be consistent and I know that the files were created from the same master template source and so should be exactly the same in terms of layout and column names etc.

Is there a way to identify what the issue is in the specific files?

They are template files which would normally be manually consolidated and I can't change their layout so I know that it needs a lot of work to chew through to the relevant information (which i can do) but the missing schema message has me stumped.

I have seen some threads about batch macros but have no real idea about them.

Any help or direction would be greatly welcomed

Thanks

Simon

[JosephSerpis · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sim75 the Field Info or Field Summary Tool will help identify what are the data schema of your files however you would need to check each file if you were to investigate the issue. A typical approach to use when you face this issue is to use a batch macro this link explains in more detail and has an example workflow you can look at and use for your current challenge. 

[Sim75]

Thanks – I’ll take a look

[Sim75]

I've taken a look at the field info on two files one of which has the schema which does not match and this is the only difference

 vs

This looks like an issue with the import function rather than in excel. Any idea on how to fix/ignore this?

[Corinne_W]

I received two slightly different raw excel files provided to me by another team member and receive the same error message. This is how I solved it:

1. Ensure all fields are the same between the two excel files

2. Check if the data types are the same

3. Even if you change the data type for a date and time value, the "time" value will only be hidden and not removed. I followed the attached tutorial using method #3 to remove the "time" from "time and date" to get "date" only.

Formula from the vid: 

=DATEVALUE(TEXT(A6,"DD-MMM-YY"))

Before:

03-01-20 2:24 AM

After: 

03-Jan-20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY3S0svKS_w