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What This Node Does

The Except node returns rows from the first dataset that do NOT exist in the second dataset. Use it to find missing records, identify deletions, discover unique entries, or validate data completeness across systems. [SCREENSHOT: Except node with two inputs showing “Input A: 10,000 rows - Input B: 8,000 rows → Output: 3,000 rows (only in A)“]

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When to Use This Node

Use the Except node when you need to:
  • Find missing records - Identify customers in Legacy CRM but NOT in New CRM (migration gaps)
  • Identify deletions - Find products in yesterday’s catalog but NOT in today’s (removed items)
  • Validate completeness - Confirm all source records made it to destination (migration validation)
  • Gap analysis - Discover data quality issues by finding expected records that are missing

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Step-by-Step Usage Guide

1

Add Except node to canvas

2

Connect left input

Connect the dataset to find rows FROM (e.g., Legacy CRM) to the left input handle[SCREENSHOT: Legacy CRM data connected to left input]
3

Connect right input

Connect the dataset to exclude (e.g., New CRM) to the right input handle[SCREENSHOT: New CRM data connected to right input]
4

Choose comparison mode

Select “Compare All Columns” (exact match) or “Compare Specific Columns” (match on selected columns only)[SCREENSHOT: Comparison mode dropdown]
5

Configure except type

Choose EXCEPT (remove duplicates) or EXCEPT ALL (keep duplicates)[SCREENSHOT: Except type dropdown]
6

Preview unique rows

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Tips and Best Practices

Order Matters: A EXCEPT B ≠ B EXCEPT A. The left input is the dataset to find rows FROM. The right input is the dataset to exclude.
Bidirectional Differences: To find differences in both directions, use two Except nodes: (A EXCEPT B) UNION (B EXCEPT A).
Specific Columns for Keys: Use “Compare Specific Columns” to exclude by keys (id, email) while keeping rows with different values in other columns.
Standardize First: Use Rename and Convert nodes before Except to ensure column names and types match for accurate comparison.
Case Insensitive for Text: Enable case insensitivity when comparing names, emails, or addresses to avoid false positives.
Combine with Intersect: Use Intersect first to find common records, then Except to find missing records. Complete picture of data overlap.