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Importing an Excel field that is a 'date' in text format

capoley
6 - Meteoroid

I have multiple Excel files (that have the same schema) which I am attempting to bring into alteryx using the Input Data tool.  The input works as one would expect, but one field is a date field, and it imports the wrong date.  I am not sure how to describe this, so pictures are below:

 

This is the table I want to bring into alteryx.  I have one file like this for each month for 8 years. Note that the Date column is a link from another worksheet

 

 

Excel file.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I bring this into alteryx I get this:

 

Alteryx view.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I examined the source link from the Excel file and found that the 'Date' was really text, with each date having a leading space.

Please note that except for the 'Date', these records have different values.  I mention this in case someone suggests that I just import the table below (which by the way imports correctly).

 

 

Import into Excel.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am hoping that there is a way to solve this problem without having to open each of the Excel files. 

 

If anyone has an answer, I would greatly appreciate it. Peace

 

4 REPLIES 4
danrh
13 - Pulsar

I'm not able to replicate the issue.  Could you strip out sensitive data and post an excel file that's having the problem?

 

If a date is coming in as a text field, you can use the DateTime tool to convert it to a date --- and after some experimenting, it looks like leading white space doesn't affect it.

 

image.png

capoley
6 - Meteoroid

Thanks for trying this, here is one of the files.

danrh
13 - Pulsar

Not sure why this works, but it seems to --- in the Input Data tool, for File Format select 'Microsoft Excel Legacy'.  When I do this, it brings in the original text string, which you can then convert to a date:

 

image.png

capoley
6 - Meteoroid

Thanks for figuring this out.  Much appreciated.

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