.xslb file that contains data, but alteryx makes them [null]

[thatsameguy]

Hi guys, Im new to Alteryx, and have been having trouble with some .xslb files.

I have a column that contains data (ex: X33, X41, and 541) when i open it on excel, but when I import the file to alteryx it only appears "541", while the other ones appear [null]. I know that those fields are not nulls, but alteryx seems to have trouble reading the fields with X33, X41 and the other ones...

Can someone please help me?? When i import the fale as .xls it works perfectly, but i wanted to use .xslb files, since they are much smaller...

Evidence:

on excel: 

on alteryx: 

[Sntrada]

My guess would be that Alteryx is using the wrong data type for this column. Alteryx may be reading it as number when it should be string. 

That's my hunch. If you attached the actual Excel file we can see if this or something else is the issue. 

[SubratDas5]

Hi thesameguy,

You can check on @Sntrada's approach. 

Here is something else that i think might be of help to you . - https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer/working-with-xlsb-files-in-Alteryx/td-p/144950

Please share if you have success. 

[SubratDas5]

Another one to add - https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer/xlsb-file-and-rounding-integers/td-p/521154

[thatsameguy]

unfortunately the excel contains sensitive data... But it comes as null the moment I import the file on Alteryx, so even if I set the column as a string it will still make those cells as nulls...

[Sntrada]

@thatsameguy 

I made a dummy file to look like yours and I was able to import it without those null issues. I tried it with the TpMove column as General and Number format, and it imported fine. 

For the import, I am simply dragging the file straight into the canvas. Designer is recognizing it as a .xslb

If you feel comfortable, you can create a copy of your file, delete all the sensitive info, and share the file. Then we can try to troubleshoot further. 

[thatsameguy]

Here is the dummy one, i deleted most of the info, but the column that ive been having problem is still there! Thanks for the help! 

obs: i saved it as xlsx because the xsl format is not supported in this section...

[Sntrada]

Hi @thatsameguy, 

I downloaded the file you provided and I am not having the same issue.

But I should mention that the file is taking abnormally long to load into the workflow when I hit run. Although the xslb file is about 24% of the size of the xlsx file, the xslb file took 1.06 minutes to load, while the xlsx version only took 1.1 seconds! 

Are you also experiencing long load times in your workflow? 

Also, how are you importing the file? Are you dragging and dropping it directly into the workflow? 

[thatsameguy]

Hey, thanks for responding... Yeah, when I downloaded the file that I sent here it worked fine as well, I guess the issue is when I extract the file from the data base. But im still having the same issue, fields that contains data are been replaced as null by alteryx when i use xlsb files, but are read when i use xlsx files....

About your time issue, im not having this problem... Both workflows run pretty fast, not depending on the format i import the file. And I do not drag it into the canvas, I open it from the input tool... Do you think that might be the issue?

[thatsameguy]

I think I solved it! Alteryx is reading the collumn as a number, and all those fields that have a letter (X33, X41, etc.) are been nulled because they are not a number! Do you know how I can set the column as a string when I import it? I am currently using the select tool, but the field is imported as a number, so it comes nulled from the begining... I wanted to import that column as a string, since the start of the workflow.

Tks!