Output File Name

[Lauriek]

Hello,

How do I setup the output file name to automatically change the date portion based on the Input file name.  For example, the input file is named 2021-04-30 GL 331115 State.  I want the output file name to be 2021-04-30 CR TX Gasoline Workpapers.

Only the date changes, the rest of the file name is always the same.  I tried looking up other post about this, but they are not quite the same.

Thank you,

Laurie

[Luke_C]

Hi @Lauriek 

Depending on the type of file you're outputting to this might change slightly, but generally you can use a formula tool to create a file name, and then in the output tool use the settings to take the filename from a field in the data. For this instance you will want to do the following:

1. Make sure the input filename is read into the data (this is a setting on the input tool)
2. Use a formula tool to either make a new field or modify that field. If the file name is going to consistently start with a date in yyyy-mm-dd format, you can do something simple like Left([File Name],10)+" CR TX Gasoline Workpapers.csv". (example is csv but whatever file extension is needed can be put)
3. In the output configure the file name settings to update either the full path or file name.
   1. Note: If you're doing excel, you may need to tweak the above to include the full file path/tab name for it to work. CSV would not need this. 

[apathetichell]

Bring the filename into your workflow and edit it via regex_replace as attached.

note @Luke_C 's way works too assuming relatively static filenames.

[mceleavey]

Hi @Lauriek ,

I'm assuming you're loading in Excel files, so in your input tool, select from the dropdown to bring in the filename as a field:

Then, on that field you can use the regex tool to remove the existing date, then a formula tool to add today's date to the start of the filename:

 

Hope this helps,

M.

[Lauriek]

Hello,

Both files are excel.

[Lauriek]

Hi Luke_C,

Both input and output files are excel.

[apathetichell]

same workflow - but edited for .xlsx input.

[Lauriek]

Hi @Luke_C ,

For #1, do I change Output File Name as Field to Full Path?

Thanks,

Laurie