Modifying values

You can use column actions to modify incoming data values. For example, you can remove specific characters, or change the capitalization of text. You can also configure a column action to modify data only when specific conditions are met.

Through column actions, you can change the text in a column to uppercase, prefix it, or replace it with a value from a substitution file. Equally, you might decide to remove ordinal suffixes such as st, nd, rd, and th from (English-language) dates. These transformations are actions, and you can apply any number of them to individual data columns. The wizard indicates modifications in the data preview table with a graphic symbol.

The wizard applies actions sequentially, in the order that they are displayed in the Actions Applied list.

If the Stop processing subsequent actions when conditions are met checkbox is selected, a column action is applied to any value in the column that meets the conditions, but no further actions are applied to those values.

To create a column action and apply it to a column:
  1. Select the column that you want to modify.
  2. From the Available Actions list, select a column action and then use the arrow buttons to move it to the Actions Applied list.
    The wizard displays an icon in the header of the selected column to indicate that a column action is set.
  3. Configure the settings for the column action.
    The configuration for each action is different.
    For example, if you select the Add Prefix action, you must enter the prefix that you want to add.
  4. Optional: Configure the column action to modify values only when specific conditions are met.
    You can create more than one condition.
    1. In the Condition list of the Apply only when the following conditions are met box, select a condition.
    2. Enter an appropriate value into the Value field.
    3. Optional: To stop processing subsequent actions when the conditions are met, select the Stop processing subsequent actions when conditions are met checkbox.
The table at the top of the page reflects the effect of your new column action on the incoming data.