Text To Columns Tool

The Text To Columns tool takes the text in one column and splits the string value into separate, multiple columns (or rows), based on a single or multiple delimiter(s).

Configure the tool

  1. Select the Column to split.
  2. Delimiters: Enter the delimiter (s) to use to split the data on. Each character is treated independently, meaning you cannot delimit on a word. To split data on a word, use the RegEx Tool. You can use individual characters or the white space characters from the table below.

    Tab \t
    New line \n
    Space \s
    Space or tab \s\t
  3. Choose your method for splitting:
    • Split to columns: Split a single column of data at each instance of the specified delimiter into multiple columns.
      • Number of columns: Set how many columns are created.
      • Extra characters: Select the behavior that is applied to extra columns. Don't know how many columns the data will be parsed into? Visit the Alteryx Community Tool Mastery Article to find out tips and tricks.
        • Leave extra in last column: Data that extends past the split is appended to the value in the last column.
        • Drop extra with warning: Data that extends past the split is dropped and a warning is generated indicating that there was excess information.
        • Drop extra without warning: Data that extends past the split is dropped and no warning is generated.
        • Error: Data the extends past the split causes an error and the workflow stops processing.
      • Output root name: Enter the name for the newly generated columns to be based off of. The new columns are named as the root name with a serially increasing integer appended.
    • Split to rows: Split a single column of data at each instance of the specified delimiter into multiple rows. Use a key column in your record so you don't lose track of which value came from which row.

Advanced Options: Select delimiters to ignore. Options include:

  • Ignore delimiters in quotes
  • Ignore delimiters in single quotes
  • Ignore delimiters in parentheses
  • Ignore delimiters in brackets
  • Skip empty columns