Sometimes enriched background data can change over time, for instance in case of a regional reorganization, and you may find yourself in need of doing corrections over your historical data.
In situations like these, the Reversed Vlookup functionality of the Vlookup dynamic rule may prove particularly useful to you.
You can simply perform these corrections by checking the box stati
ng “Reversed Update after Dataset Changes”This means that when a new file is being imported to your reference import source in which the change is present, this will automatically change/overwrite all data that originate from that rule.
Example:
You have set up the Vlookup that automatically enriches the data for a shop location in London with the name and email address of the shop manager: Isaac Ingram.
After 3 years of loyal service, he has decided to leave the company to pursue new opportunities, and is replaced with a new shopmanager Ugene Updyke. Because of dashboarding purposes, it is necessary that all historic data concerning the London shop is now enriched with Ugene’s name and email address, instead of Isaac’s.
By checking the Reversed update box and updating a new file with Ugene’s credentials in the lookup columns that need to be mapped in stead of Isaac’s, all records that match the London store and previously had Isaac’s data as shopmanager connected to them are now automatically replaced by Ugene’s data.
As all that’s needed for a large scale mutation of data is an import of the correct data, the reversed lookup functionality is also used often when correcting historical data in genera. Simply find a common denominator that can serve as a reference key and create a reference table to map the correct data over the faulty one.
As this reversed lookup is triggered by importing a new file into an import slot it is easy to manage corrections like this.