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Text to Number Transformation: Convert the Column Type

When you load data into a dataset, CRM Analytics tags a number (measure) column as text (a dimension) if it contains unexpected strings or characters. To perform a calculation on the column, such as calculating the average, use the Text To Number transformation to change the Text column type to Number. You can perform calculations on number columns only.

Required Editions

Text to Number Transformation: Convert the Column Type

User Permissions Needed
To manage and create a recipe: Edit CRM Analytics Dataflows OR Edit Dataset Recipes

During the column type conversion, the Text to Number transformation rounds decimals to the nearest whole number. For example, 300.2939 becomes 300.

  1. In the Transform node of a Data Prep recipe, select the text (dimension) column you want to convert to the Number (measure) column type.
  2. In the Transform toolbar, select Text to | Number.
    The To Number modal showing options to specify how the converted column is saved and specify a new column name if a new column is used.
  3. Under Show Results In, select whether the new values appear in a new column and whether to keep the original column.
  4. If you elect to create a column, set the label under Column Label.
  5. To change more column attributes, click the Column Attributes box, change them, and click Apply. The Column Attributes box showing the API Name, Output Type, Precision, and Scale for a text column converted to a number column.

    Based on the output column’s datatype, you can set these attributes.

    Attribute Description
    API Name

    The API name of the column. The column API name can each be up to 255 characters. The API name must also be unique within the recipe.
    Precision

    The maximum number of digits in a numeric (measure) column. Includes all numbers to the left and to the right of the decimal point (but excludes the decimal point character). Enter an integer from 1 through 18, inclusive. If a numeric value exceeds the specified precision, the value is set to 0 or null, depending on whether null measure handling is enabled. For example, if precision is set to 5 and null measure handling is enabled, the numeric value 123456.78 is replaced with null.
    Scale

    The number of digits to the right of the decimal point in a numeric column. Enter an integer from 0 through 17, inclusive. The scale must be less than the precision. For example, if the numeric value is 123456.789 and you set the scale to 2, the number appears as 123456.78.

    Length

    The maximum number of characters in a text (dimension) column. Enter an integer from 1 through 32000, inclusive. The default length is 255 characters.
    Date Format

    The date format of a date column.

    For more guidelines, see the “Field Name Restrictions” section in this help topic.

  6. Click Apply to add the transformation to the Transform node. The Preview tab shows the number column.
  7. To view the Graph area, click the Collapse button (Collapse button).
  8. Save the recipe.

Run the recipe to convert the column type to number.