Run Filterer

A Filterer Run applies a saved Filterer Configuration to an input File or compatible dataset. The Run keeps matching Records, removes Records that should not stay in scope, and creates a downloadable output from the kept Records.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• a saved Filterer Configuration
• an input File that matches the Import Config used by the Configuration, or a compatible previous dataset
• a clear expectation for which Records should be kept
• enough available storage for the Run output

If the selected input does not match the Import Config expected by the Configuration, the Run may fail or produce results that do not match your intent.

Typical run steps

A typical Run looks like this:

1. Open Filterer Configurations.
2. Find the Configuration you want to use.
3. Select Run Job.
4. On Run setup, optionally edit Run name.
5. Under Choose input, select an input File.
6. Leave Audit on or turn it off based on whether you need detailed Run review information.
7. Select Start.
8. Watch Progress while Filterer imports, processes, and exports the results.
9. After completion, review the Record counts and use Download to save the output File.

The Run screen title is Run Filterer when a Configuration is loaded.

Run setup

The Run screen includes these main controls.

Control	What it means	Notes
Audit	Adds detailed step information for the Run when enabled.	This can be useful for review workflows.
Start	Starts the Run.	Disabled until a valid input is selected.
Cancel	Cancels the current Run.	Available while the Run is running.
Run name	Optional friendly name for the Run.	A clear name makes the Run easier to find later.
Select file	Lets you choose the input File for the Run.	The File should match the selected Configuration's Import Config.

Some WebHammers workflows can use a previous dataset as input. For Filterer, use the Select file area when the Run page asks you to choose a File.

What happens during the Run

Filterer performs these user-visible phases:

1. Loads the selected Filterer Configuration.
2. Imports the selected File or prepares the selected dataset.
3. Applies enabled Rules in order.
4. Counts Records kept and removed.
5. Exports the kept Records as the output.

Disabled Rules are ignored. If a Rule references a Field that is not available in the input, Filterer records a problem for the Run and ignores that Rule.

How Rules affect the output

Rules run from top to bottom. For each Record:

• the first enabled Rule that matches decides whether the Record is kept or removed
• if no enabled Rule matches, the Configuration's default behavior decides what happens
• Records with a Keep the row decision are included in the output
• Records with a Remove the row decision are counted as removed

Filterer preserves the input Fields in the output. It is not a Field mapping, Field removal, or value-cleaning Tool.

Progress and completion details

During and after the Run, the screen shows counts such as:

Count	What it means
Rows read	Records read from the input.
Rows inserted	Records prepared for the Run.
Problems	Problems detected during import or filtering.
Rows output	Records kept in the output.
Rows removed	Records removed by Rule logic or default behavior.

The Job History page also shows Read, Kept, Removed, and Problems for recent Filterer Runs.

Reviewing output

After a successful Run, the Completion area shows the final counts and a Downloads section. The Filterer output download is labeled Data Results and is exported as CSV.

Before using the output downstream, review:

• Records you expected to keep
• Records you expected to remove
• boundary cases, such as cutoff dates or threshold values
• blanks or unusual values in Fields used by Rules
• whether Rows output and Rows removed make sense together

Do not rely only on the fact that the Run completed. A completed Run means Filterer finished processing; it does not prove the business rule was the right rule.

If the result is not what you expected

Troubleshoot one example Record at a time:

1. Identify a Record that was kept or removed unexpectedly.
2. Check the source value in the Column used by each relevant Rule.
3. Confirm that the selected Configuration is the intended one.
4. Check the default behavior for Records that do not match any Rule.
5. Review the order of enabled Rules.
6. Run again on a small sample that includes the problem Record.

Common reasons for surprising results

Unexpected outputs often come from issues like:

• the wrong input File version was selected
• the wrong Configuration was chosen
• a Rule was disabled
• a broad Rule appeared above a more specific Rule
• the default behavior kept or removed Records that did not match any Rule
• a key source Field contained blanks, unexpected spelling, or different casing
• a numeric comparison was used with values that are not consistently numeric

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid these patterns:

• running a new Configuration on a full File before testing a small representative sample
• using Filterer to fix inconsistent values instead of cleaning or validating those values first
• assuming Rows output should always be close to the input count
• ignoring Problems when a Rule depends on a Field that may be missing
• sharing the output before reviewing representative kept and removed Records

Related pages

• Create a Filterer Configuration
• When to use Filterer
• Filterer examples
• Filterer FAQ