Redaction and Approval Tool

[Izaak-Brummitt]

Hi all,

I am trying to replicate a process that is outdated and currently performed in access database.

Please can someone advise on how I create a workflow/app that allows me to do the following to the table below:

Supplier (Beneficiary) Name	Narrative	Capital/Revenue	Suppler Site Code	Live Supplier Name	Supplier Match	Approved Supplier Name
Gardening services PLC	Gardening work completed at main office	Capital	600	Gardening services PLC	Match	Gardening services PLC
The Bin Cleaning company	CEO's huge bin cleaned	Capital	700	The Bin Cleaning company	Match	The Bin Cleaning company
Tom Tompson	Direct Payment	Capital	800	Tom Tompson	Match	Redacted
Gladice Humphrey	Direct Payment	Capital	900	Gladice Humphrey	Match	Redacted

1 - The process needs to be able to read a row at a time and display two columns of information (this will help with the redaction process later). The two columns I need to incorporate are 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' & 'Narrative'.

2 - Based on what is in the two columns display I need the process to create a new column which either approves or redacts the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name.

3 - If the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' and 'Narrative' can be used to identify are person the corresponding cell in the new column called 'Approved Supplier Name' should fill with 'Redacted Personal Data'.

4 - If the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' and 'Narrative' can be used to identify a company the corresponding cell in 'Approved Supplier Name' should be a copy the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name'.

5 - I have provided an example of how the last column should look in the table above.

6 - One last point - I will have to check the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' and 'Narrative' manually each month (as new suppliers are added), so it would be great if these could be visualized alongside the approval and redaction process.

Is this something that can be replicated in Alteryx?

Thanks!

[FinnCharlton]

Hi @Izaak-Brummitt , this is possible, you will just need to find some way of distinguishing company names from the names of people. How does your current process do this?

One way you could try is using RegEx, however in a large dataset there may well be exceptions to whichever RegEx you choose. For example, here I use RegEx to match any name with 'company', 'co.', LTD' or PLC in it. From there, a simple IF statement in a formula creates the new column:

[Izaak-Brummitt]

Hi Finn,

The soon to be outdated process we use creates a window that displays the information required to make a approve/redact decision. i.e. The window shows the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' and 'Narrative'. Based on the information, we can then select approve/redact and the process then moves onto the next row picking up a new set of information. What you choose goes onto fill a new column called 'Approved Supplier Name' with the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' if approved or 'Redacted Personal Data' if redacted.

We would need some sort of manual process to visually determine whether the row should be approved or redacted. This is because some of the company's don't have references to 'PLC'  or 'limited' in their names. An example of this being self employed people often use their names as their registered company. We usually get around 50 rows a month that need to be checked in this way.

I have done some research into this and I believe (somewhat) that something can be done with drop down boxes etc to create a specific/unique tool for my needs.

Thanks for the previous reply, hopefully this something we can do in Alteryx!

[apathetichell]

Is Live Name a list of people vs companies - ie how do you know what are two word company names vs two word names - or three word companies vs three word names?

assuming you have some logic for this - it's pretty straight forward using formula tool to compare two columns and either update a value in a column or create a new column using an:

if x=x then y else z endif logic.

[Izaak-Brummitt]

Hi,

Live supplier name is just a check column, not used in the process. (essentially just a duplicate column).

The names/companies in the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' are ALL new suppliers therefore the process will need to be a manual one. I will need to build something in the workflow (an app) that allows me to either approve or redact information. 

The list we get through will change each week as and when new suppliers are add to the list. There are approximately 50-100 each month. Each will need an eye cast over it to determine if the 'Supplier (Beneficiary) Name' needs to be redacted.

Thanks!