Newbie question: How to capture values that aren't recognized as dates?

[jlefeaux]

I am importing data from an Excel file.  Two of the fields are supposed to contain dates, but because the values are entered by hand sometimes they aren't entered in a way that is recognizable by Alteryx as a date.  For example, "11/8/`6" is entered instead of "11/8/16".

Less than 1% of the records have this kind of error, so what I'd like to do is have Alteryx read the other 99% directly (say with a Select tool), while diverting the ones that can't be read to a separate workstream so that I can do the string parsing, etc., that is necessary to clean them.

I'm new to Alteryx and can't figure out how to capture those records that would generate a conversion error.  Basically looking implement a Boolean check akin to an IsDate function (since that doesn't exist).

Thanks in advance!

Jennifer L.

[Philip · Accepted solution]

Here's one way by using a Filter tool. Basically, try converting the dates. If the date doesn't convert, a NULL is produced. Filter based on finding NULLs and do what you want with them.

[jlefeaux]

Ah!  Very clever!

Thank you for getting me over this hurdle.  Really appreciate the help :)