Cut columns filter

The Cut columns filter removes columns from a HXL dataset based on a whitelist or blacklist of Tag patterns.

Options

Whitelist: include only columns that match these tag patterns.

Blacklist: include only columns that don't match these tag patterns.

Remove columns without HXL hashtags: if any columns are untagged, remove them from the output data.

Typical use cases

Remove sensitive data, such as personally-identifiable information. For example, using a blacklist of "contact" will remove columns tagged "#contact+name", "#contact+email", "#contact+phone", etc.

Remove data that's not relevant to the audience, such as an internal database identifier.

Remove extra columns added during a previous filter step in a recipe. For example, you can remove some of the "#meta" columns added by the Count rows filter.

Simplify datasets by removing any columns without HXL hashtags (typically for internal use only).

Examples

Before

#org	#sector	#adm1+name	#contact+email
UNICEF	Education	Coast	[email protected]
Save the Children	Education	Plains	[email protected]
IOM	CCCM	Coast	[email protected]
UNICEF	Protection	Plains	[email protected]

After

With blacklist "contact":

#org	#sector	#adm1+name
UNICEF	Education	Coast
Save the Children	Education	Plains
IOM	CCCM	Coast
UNICEF	Protection	Plains

With whitelist "org,contact":

#org	#contact+email
UNICEF	[email protected]
Save the Children	[email protected]
IOM	[email protected]
UNICEF	[email protected]