Category to Number

The Category to Number node converts categorical (string) values into numeric values. This is frequently used in conjunction with predictive modeling, where inputting string values causes errors. By converting these strings to numbers, however, can be an effective strategy that yields great results in the model's effectiveness.

The node's configuration menu has several options available:

- Column Include/Exclude: Choose which string fields from the input table you wish to include and exclude from categorization. You can select columns manually or via a wildcard or regular expression.

- Append Columns: Turned on by default. When checked, this option adds new columns to the table. When unchecked, the included columns from above are replaced by their new categorization values.

- Column Suffix: Only available when the Append Columns option is checked. This option allows you to enter a text value that will serve as the suffix for any new columns.

The remaining options allow you to control what numeric values are used when categorizing the original values. Additionally, you can control the default value and what value to use in case of missing values.