Update the column without editing the workflow

Question

Hi, is there anyway we can update the column without editing the workflow but using the external file.

For example,

I have input 1 in excel:

File NameStar ag Report Moon gr ReportSun random letterRiver random letter

I use the formula to create a new column contract based on the File Name string. like if File Name contains 'Star' then Star.

File NameContractStar ag Report StarMoon gr ReportMoonSun random letterSunRiver random letterRiver

Since there will be more and more File Name created and I don't want to open the workflow every time to update the formula, is there any better solution? Like to create an external excel if the File Name contains string in the excel then update to the contract

If file name contains stringUpdate the Contract StarStarMoonMoonSunSunRiverRiver

File Name is not standardized and will contain some other string, so join can't be used.

Thanks in advance.

caltang · Answer

It will help if you can tag @davidskaife - that way he is notified of your response. Otherwise it will not go anywhere.... until he checks of course.

eZXY · Answer

Thank you. It works well.

Is it the best solution that if I need to match 2 strings in the filename, I need to add 2 find replace tools?

Let the first find and replace match the first required string and 2nd match the second required one, then formula?

caltang · Answer

You could pair a Directory tool and the formula tool to get your CONTAINS statement to fetch you the match you want, then set the update to the name.

Since you don’t want to keep updating the workflow, you could make it an analytic app where your directory tool is static, but you can update the formula using a text input tool to replace the statement within the formula tool.

If your data set is huge, then @davidskaife ‘s method is a better pick.