In Excel, Identify Data Layers Correctly and Convert Them to a Standardized Table
Problem description & analysis:
Data in the column below has three layers: the 1st layer is a string, the 2nd layer is a date, and the 3rd layer contains multiple time values:
| A | |
| 1 | NAME1 |
| 2 | 2024-06-03 |
| 3 | 04:06:12 |
| 4 | 04:09:23 |
| 5 | 08:09:23 |
| 6 | 12:09:23 |
| 7 | 17:02:23 |
| 8 | 2024-06-02 |
| 9 | 04:06:12 |
| 10 | 04:09:23 |
| 11 | 08:09:23 |
| 12 | NAME2 |
| 13 | 2024-06-03 |
| 14 | 04:06:12 |
| 15 | 04:09:23 |
| 16 | 2024-06-02 |
| 17 | 12:09:23 |
| 18 | 17:02:23 |
We need to identify the three layers of data correctly and convert them to a standardized table:
| D | E | F | |
| 1 | NAME1 | 2024-06-03 | 04:06:12 |
| 2 | NAME1 | 2024-06-03 | 04:09:23 |
| 3 | NAME1 | 2024-06-03 | 08:09:23 |
| 4 | NAME1 | 2024-06-03 | 12:09:23 |
| 5 | NAME1 | 2024-06-03 | 17:02:23 |
| 6 | NAME1 | 2024-06-02 | 04:06:12 |
| 7 | NAME1 | 2024-06-02 | 04:09:23 |
| 8 | NAME1 | 2024-06-02 | 08:09:23 |
| 9 | NAME2 | 2024-06-03 | 04:06:12 |
| 10 | NAME2 | 2024-06-03 | 04:09:23 |
| 11 | NAME2 | 2024-06-02 | 12:09:23 |
| 12 | NAME2 | 2024-06-02 | 17:02:23 |
Solution:
Use SPL XLL to type in the following formula:
=spl("=E@1(?).(if(ifstring(~):s=~, if(ifdate(E(~))):d=~; [s,d,~])).select(ifa(~))",A1:A18)
SPL returns an integer for the date data. You need to format it into an easy-to-read form through Excel’s "format cells" option (or through SPL’s E() function). Use the same way to handle the time data.
As shown in the picture below:
Explanation:
E()function converts a value to the Excel date/time data; E@1 converts a multilayer sequence to a single-layer one. ~ represents the current member; if() function judges whether it is a string and whether it is a date from left to right and executes the expressions, and then executes the default expression. ifa() judges whether the variable is a sequence.
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