Table of Contents
CONVERT DATA TYPE
Category: Transform / Basic
Description
This action converts values of one type (e.g. text) to another type (e.g. number). There are 4 modes:
Text to date
In this mode, text values that look like a date are converted into number dates. A date format must be specified. All text values that match the specified format are converted to number dates.
The format notation is the same as for the format() function.
Text to number
In this mode, text values that look like a number are converted into numbers.
Everything to text
In this mode, text values remain unchanged and non-text values are converted into text. Numbers are formatted as per the specified format.
Empty to text or a number
In this mode, empty values are replaced with the static text or number value specified.
Use cases
- Convert text-based dates to numeric date values for use in date-based calculations downstream.
- Convert numbers originally captured as text to true numeric values.
- Recode "blank" values as specific text or number values.
Action settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Columns to convert | Select the column(s) from the dataset to apply the value conversion to. |
| Conversion | Select the conversion mode to use. Options: Text to Date, Text to Number, Everything to Text, and Empty to text or number. |
| If conversion fails | Select how EasyMorph will respond when the selected conversion type cannot be applied to values. Options: Keep original value (the original, unmodified value is kept), Generate error (an error message is inserted into the cells where conversion failed), or Halt execution (the action will display an error flag). |
Text to Date settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Format* | Enter the date format the current text dates are using (e.g. yyyy-MM-dd). Use the Detect button to populate this field with the date format found within the column. If the auto-detection didn't work, compose the format string manually using the table below. |
* Setting can be specified using a parameter.
Date-Time format string components
A format string defines a formatting template for dates and times. Its components can be put together in any combination. If a character doesn't belong to a format component then it's inserted verbatim.
The specifiers below are case-sensitive.
| Date format specifier | Description |
|---|---|
| d | The day of the month, from 1 through 31. |
| dd | The day of the month, from 01 through 31. |
| ddd | The abbreviated name of the day of the week. |
| M | The month, from 1 through 12. |
| MM | The month, from 01 through 12. |
| MMM | The abbreviated name of the month. |
| MMMM | The full name of the month. |
| y | The year, from 0 to 99. |
| yy | The year, from 00 to 99. |
| yyyy | The year as a four-digit number. |
| Time format specifier | Description |
|---|---|
| h | The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 1 to 12. |
| hh | The hour, using a 12-hour clock from 01 to 12. |
| H | The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 0 to 23. |
| HH | The hour, using a 24-hour clock from 00 to 23. |
| m | The minute, from 0 through 59. |
| mm | The minute, from 00 through 59. |
| s | The second, from 0 through 59. |
| ss | The second, from 00 through 59. |
| t | The first character of the AM/PM designator. |
| tt | The AM/PM designator. |
Text to Number settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Decimal separator | Select what character is used to define decimal places in the source text values. Options: Point or Comma. |
| Thousand separator | Select what character is used to define thousands places in the source text values. Options: Default, Comma, Point or Space. |
Everything to Text settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Number format | Select the output format for the converted text values (e.g., selecting "100%" will multiply numbers by 100 and append "%"). |
Empty to text or number settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Value* | Enter a static text or numeric value to convert empty cells to. |
* Setting can be specified using a parameter.
Examples
Text to date example:
Format: M/d/yyyy
| Before (text) | After | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2017 | 43100 | Corresponds to December 31st, 2017. |
| 12-31-2017 | 12-31-2017 | No conversion happened as the text value didn't match the specified format. |
Text to number example:
Decimal separator: Point
| Before (text) | After | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 1000 | |
| 1,000 | 1,000 | No conversion happened as the text value has different decimal separator. |
| 10.00 | 10 | |
| $1000 | $1000 | No conversion happened as the text value is not recognized as a number. |
Everything to text example:
| Format | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 10 | 1000% |
| 1'000.00 | 5500 | 5,500.00 |
| yyyy/MM/dd | 22335 | 1961/02/23 |
Community examples
- How to format the duration in more than 24h (Project; Module: Main; Group: Tab 1; Table: Table 1; Action position: 3)
- Date condition for specific dates (Project; Module: Main; Group: Group 1; Table: TR101.xlsx; Action position: 2)
- Assign value from conditions based on a table (Project; Module: Main; Group: Group 1; Table: Table 1; Action position: 4)
- Excel: Import Date Headings as number (Project; Module: Main; Group: Group 1; Table: New header; Action position: 3)
Shortcuts
Fast ways to create the action:
- Right-click on a column heading, and select "Convert data type", then select the conversion mode from the submenu.
- Click the drop-down arrow in a column heading and select "Convert data type", then select the conversion mode.