Error Management - bypass certain errors

[Nevi1211]

Hi all ! 

I have a template that runs a .exe that I made to convert pdfs in a folder into .csv. 

The template in Alteryx then turns these csv into neat excel tables with header etc.

The issue I have is, there are 3 types of PDFs so 3 different lines in Alteryx (these PDFS are wildly different) and it happens someday that not all PDFs are present to be transformed which results in the Alteryx template run with error and the data after the Union module being blank . (see my screenshot where only the middle PDF is present).

Is there a way to prevent that in Alteryx and guarantee an output even if only 1 type of PDFS in there to be transformed ?

Many thanks,

N

[PhilipMannering · Accepted solution]

A common solution this this type of problem (allowing for the possibility that some fields won't exist for runs where the data is scant) is to have a Text Input > Union just before the Formula Tool that references these fields. The Text Input should just have the column headers without any data (0 records). This just ensures the fields will always exist at this point in the workflow. It seems a bit janky but it does work.

[Nevi1211]

Hi Philip,

Thanks that sounds like a very good idea, will try this many thanks.

N

[PhilipMannering]

No problem.

Here's a workflow to better illustrate what I'm talking about.