Add if/else column

A conditional statement is a common logic tool in data workflows. With Add if/else column, you define rules that determine what value appears in each row. The step evaluates rules from top to bottom and assigns the first matching result.

Step configurations

1. Drag Add if/else column onto your canvas.
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2. Choose one of the following:
   
   • Populate a new column: enter the name under ‘New column name’.
     
   • Edit values in this column: choose the target column from the dropdown.
     
3. Set up your first condition:
   
   • Choose a column to evaluate.
     
   • Select an operator (e.g., equals, less than, greater than, ‘is blank’, ‘is not blank’).
     
   • Enter a value or reference another column with curly braces (e.g., {Stock}).
     
   • Click “+ Add a field” if you need to list several values to reference.
   • Click “+ Add a condition” if you need to chain multiple conditions together for a single rule. You can change the dropdown between “if any” and “if all”
     
   • Under ‘Then set the new column value to’, enter the value to output when the condition is true.
     
   • If the output is a calculation (e.g., {A}/{B}), click the gear icon and check ‘Accepts math function’.
     
4. Add, reorder, or remove rules:
   
   • Click ‘+ Add a rule’, or hover over a rule to duplicate it.
     
   • Use the arrow icons to move a rule up or down.
     
   • Click the trash icon to delete a rule.
     
   • Rules run in order; once a rule is true, later rules do not run.
     
5. Set a default value that applies if no rules match. (Enable ‘Accepts math function’ here as well if the default is a formula.)
   
   
6. Click ‘Show updated results’ to apply changes and review the output.

Full list of operators

• Filter dates to
• Is blank
• Is not blank
• Is unique
• Is not unique
• Text is equal to*
• Text is not equal to*
• Text contains*
• Text does not contain*
• Text starts with*
• Text ends with*
• Text length is⁺
• Text length is greater than⁺
• Text length is less than⁺
• Text matches pattern (enter regex pattern)
• Text does not match pattern (enter regex pattern)
• Is equal to⁺
• Is not equal to⁺
• Is greater than⁺
• Is greater than or equal to⁺
• Is less than⁺
• Is less than or equal to⁺
• Is between⁺
• Is not between⁺

* Require case sensitivity by clicking the gear icon and enabling the case-sensitive option.
⁺ Accept match functions by clicking the gear icon and enabling ‘Accepts math function’.

Helpful tips

• Always include:
  
  • A column name
  • At least one rule
  • A default value (so no row is left blank)
• Combine conditions inside a rule with ‘and’ / ‘or’.
• Reference columns with curly braces (e.g., {Type}) when comparing two columns.
• Use exact text values if you want to check against a fixed string (e.g., “Pending”).
• The step includes built-in date range filtering—under ‘If this is true,’ open the ‘Condition’ modal and select ‘filter dates to.’

Example use case

Let’s say you want to create an “Inventory status” column:

• If {Available} is less than or equal to 200 → set value to “Low.”
• If {Available} is greater than 200 and less than or equal to 800 → set value to “Healthy.”
• Otherwise → set value to “Overstocked.”

The step evaluates each row in order, assigns the correct status, and adds it as a new column. You could then filter rows where “Inventory status” = “Low” to trigger alerts or automate purchase orders.

Translating common Excel IF formulas

Here are some examples of popular Excel formulas and how you would build the same logic using the Add if/else column step:

1. Handle blanks or missing values

Excel formula:

=IF(A2="", "Missing", A2)

Meaning: If the cell is blank, return “Missing.” Otherwise, return the original value.

Parabola solution:

• New column name: Status
• Rule 1: If {Column A} equals (leave value blank) → then set new column value to Missing
• Default value: {Column A}

2. Prevent division by zero (similar to NULLIF)

Excel formula:

=IF(B2=0, "Error", A2/B2)

Meaning: If the denominator is zero, return “Error.” Otherwise, calculate the division.

Parabola solution:

• New column name: Safe Division
• Rule 1: If {B} equals 0 → then set new column value to Error
• Default value: {A}/{B} (entered in math mode by clicking the gear icon and selecting ‘Accepts math function’)

3. Categorize values into buckets

Excel formula:

=IF(C2<200, "Low", IF(C2<=800, "Healthy", "Overstocked"))

Meaning: Create an inventory status column based on thresholds.

Parabola solution:

• New column name: Inventory status
• Rule 1: If {Available} less than or equal to 200 → then set value to Low
• Rule 2: If {Available} greater than 200 and less than or equal to 800 → then set value to Healthy
• Default value: Overstocked

4. Text matching

Excel formula:

=IF(D2="Pending", "In Review", "Complete")

Meaning: If a status equals “Pending,” set to “In Review.” Otherwise, return “Complete.”

Parabola solution:

• New column name: Review status
• Rule 1: If {Status} equals Pending → then set value to In Review
• Default value: Complete

3. Coalesce

Excel formula:

=COALESCE(A2,B2,C2)

Meaning: Return the first non-blank value among A2, B2, and C2.

Parabola solution:

• New column name: First non-blank
• Rule 1: If {A} is not blank → set value to {A}
• Rule 2: If {B} is not blank → set value to {B}
• Default value: {C}

4. Minimum cap

Excel formula:

=MIN(1.25, E2)


Meaning: Return the smaller of 1.25 and the other value (i.e., cap the value at 1.25).

Parabola solution:

• New column name: Capped value
• Rule 1: If {E} ≤ 1.25 → set value to {E}
• Default value: 1.25
  (If the “other value” is a calculation, first create it with Add math column and then reference that new column here.)

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