Match and update, but do not remove previous data

[Tjillett]

Could use a little help and a tip if someone could reach out. 

Flow # 1, Outputs an excel file #1, has data and added two blank columns (F&G) (no problem here) 

Excel File # 1 gets sent out to vendor A, Vendor A fills in data in two blank columns (F&G) and sends back as Excel file #2 or #1 not sure how I want to proceed. 

What I need is help where when after I run flow #1, that I can run a second flow and if data in columns A - E match then do not override the new data in columns F & G. So that when I send file to Vendor A that they do not have to keep re-entering all of the data only the new rows of data. 

What tools should I use to accomplish this? Any help will be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks in Advance.

Ted Jillett

Insulet Corporation 

[MarqueeCrew · Accepted solution]

@Tjillett ,

If when you prepare the data for output, you compare your A-E data using a CReW Delta macro (available here) you will get a "D" output with data if something changes.  You can count the records that changed (it really doesn't matter how many changes) using a Count Records macro (use this because it outputs a zero if there are changes.

Now you can be clever.  APPEND FIELDS the count of the deltas to the incoming data.  If the incoming data + the count of changes = 0  you can use a filter to drive the data to one output file.  If there are changes, then drive the data to an output file where you overwrite the F & G columns.

I think that this should work for you.  

cheers,

Mark

[Tjillett]

Mark; 

    Thank You for that solution it worked great, had to do a couple small modifications. I ended up using my second input data (the one with the additional data in columns say F&G (really H&I) and used a union to bring the non-matched data into the second input data file. It looks like it's working properly. 

I really love the feedback and support that comes from this community. 

Thanks Again

Ted Jillett

Insulet Corporation.