SAP IRPA - Problems with date formatting when copying from Excel

[former_member677408]

Hello, I am currently working on a process that reads data from an Excel and later inserts the values into the appropriate fields of a SAP transaction.

However, the following problem occurs. Due to a custom format the "get" and "insert" function is not simply copying the string. Instead the values had been changed during the activity. As a consequence the required format is not met anymore.The cell formating of the excel file is set as it is and cannot be changed.

Here is a cell from the Excel file:

(DD.MM.YYYY HH:MM:SS)

Here's what I see in the log:

The same problem occurs with a number divided by a comma e.g. "1,3", which is saved with a dot (1.3) and then no longer matches the required formatting for the transaction as well.

Is there an option to copy and paste the values in a way that they match the string displayed in the excel file?

Thank you for your help!

Best regards

Karl

[raphaelberlth]

Hallo Karl,

If I am correct, you are using German Excel version. IRPA is working with US version of Excel which I believe is the reason for this behaviour.

I don't have a solution how to fix this but possibly a workaround:

When opening your excel file including the Date or the number in the German format p.E. "1,3", use the get one value activity and store this value in a variable. Next open another lets call it "Help-File" and use the set one value activity and set in A1 the previously saved variable. In that help-file make sure to put in formula =text(A1) in field B1 by default. Now use the get one value activity to store the value in B1 as a string. Now the string should remain as 1,3 and should not change to 1.3.

Hope this works.

Kind regards,

Raphael

[former_member677408]

Hello Raphael,

thank you for your answer! I will try this workaround it in the next days.

Best regards,

Karl

[former_member688854]

Hello Karl,

I had an similar issue.

Please try following:

1. Open the Excel and mark the column with the date

2. Click on 'Daten' and afterwards on 'Text in Spalten'

3. Go to the step 3 of 3 in the textconverter-assistant and change from Standard to Text.

4. Try it now.

[former_member677408]

Hello Aleksandar,

thank you for your advice. This works very well for my tests!

My problem is, however, that not all Excel files I want to use for this Project are created by me.

Is there no way to define the reading and retransmission of cells in the Desktop Studio?

Best regards
Karl

[former_member688854]

I'd be very interested in that, too.