The Data Workflow Filter operator lets you filter data based on matching values. When filtering strings that contain only numbers, the Filter operator might treat them as numbers instead of text, which can cause unexpected results.
Describe the filtering issue to the Build Agent: it can identify whether the problem is a type mismatch and suggest the appropriate formula for the configuration.
Two approaches resolve this: adding an artificial letter to force string recognition, or using a formula to explicitly convert the value.
Adding an Artificial Letter to the Argument
Adding a letter to the beginning of the number string forces the Filter operator to read it as text. For example, instead of filtering on 12345, filter on T12345. Add a Formula operator before the Filter and use CONCATENATE to add the prefix.
Configure the Formula operator with the following settings:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | Formula |
| Label | Concat Filter |
| Formula/Expression | =CONCATENATE('T',A) |
Where A is the column containing the string of numbers to filter.
Converting a Number to a String Using a Formula
If the argument might be a number or a string depending on context, use IF, ISNUMBER, and STRINGIFY to handle both cases. Add a Formula operator before the Filter and configure it with this formula. The formula checks whether the argument is a number; if so, it converts the value to a string before filtering. If the argument is already a string, the filter runs as-is.
Configure the Formula operator with the following settings:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | Formula |
| Label | Convert String |
| Formula/Expression | =IF(ISNUMBER(_arg),STRINGIFY(_arg),_arg) |
Changelog
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2026-07-16 | Initial publication. |