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Dynamic Rename Tool

Use Dynamic Rename to rename columns in upstream data. Use this tool to rename a pattern in the column headers, like removing a prefix or replacing underscores with spaces.

Tip

This tool has a One Tool Example. Visit Access Sample Workflows to learn how to access this and many other examples directly in Designer Cloud.

Configure the Tool

Select a Rename Method:

  • Add Prefix

  • Add Suffix

  • Remove Prefix

  • Remove Suffix

  • Use Column Names from Right Input Metadata

  • Formula

  • Use First Row's Data as Column Headers

  • Use Rows from R Input as Column Headers

Add Prefix/Suffix

Selected columns are renamed to include a prefix or suffix. In Enter Prefix or Enter Suffix, enter a prefix or suffix to each selected column header. The new column name is updated with an example column header with the new prefix or suffix.

Remove Prefix/Suffix

Selected columns are renamed to exclude a prefix or suffix.

  • In Enter Prefix to Remove or Enter Suffix to Remove, enter the prefix or suffix to remove from each selected column header.

  • Select the report behavior If Prefixes Are Not Removed:

    • Warn (Continue Data Processing)

    • Error (Stop Data Processing)

    • Ignore (Continue Data Processing)

Use Column Names from Right Input Metadata

All columns are updated so the new column names match the column names from a second input that is connected to the R anchor.

  • Select the report behavior If Number of Columns Differ:

    • Warn (Continue Data Processing)

    • Error (Stop Data Processing)

    • Ignore (Continue Data Processing)

  • Check Change Column Data Types to change the new column data types to match the data types from the columns in the second input.

Formula

Columns are renamed based on a built expression. To build an expression to rename selected fields, either enter text directly in the expression editor or double-click a variable or function from the Properties section to add it to the Expression editor.

Select the column to rename via the checkbox next to the column name or via the Select All checkbox.

  • Select Dynamic or Unknown Columns so columns not present at configuration are renamed at runtime.

  • The Current Field is the individual column to which the formula is applied. The formula is applied to each selected column from the list.

Use First Row's Data as Column Headers

Use the values found in the first row as column names for the selected columns.

Column Rename Example

For example, a dataset contains this data:

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Address

City

ZIP

3825 Iris Ave

Boulder

80301

If the columns are renamed with the field names from the first row of data, the dataset changes to:

Address

City

ZIP

3825 Iris Ave

Boulder

80301

Select the report behavior If Number of Columns Differ:

  • Warn (Continue Data Processing)

  • Error (Stop Data Processing)

  • Ignore (Continue Data Processing)

Use Rows from R Input as Column Headers

Selected columns are renamed so that the column headers match the values from the input rows of a second input that is connected to the R input anchor. Under Rename Method, select one of:

  • Use Column Position: Re-assign column names based on their row position in relation to the column position on the left.

  • Use Lookup Values from the R Input Anchor: Rename columns based on a lookup table connected to the R input anchor. Think of the lookup table as a table that contains one column of your current column names and a second column with the corresponding new column names.

    • Column with Lookup Values: Select the column in your lookup table that contains the current column names.

    • Column with Rename Values: Select the column in your lookup table that contains the new column names.

  • Select the report behavior If Number of Columns Differ:

    • Warn (Continue Data Processing)

    • Error (Stop Data Processing)

    • Ignore (Continue Data Processing)

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