Extract from Array
Infoveave Data Automation — JSON & Array
Your column stores sensor readings as a JSON array per row. You need the third reading or a sliding window of readings 2 through 5. Configure index — done.
Array columns appear in data pipelines when source systems emit sequences of values for the same entity — sensor readings over a time interval, product tag lists, ordered event sequences, ranked recommendation lists, or batch measurement arrays. When these arrays are stored as JSON strings in a tabular column, extracting individual elements or ranges for analysis requires Python list indexing, SQL SPLIT_PART or JSON_EXTRACT_ARRAY functions, or JavaScript array destructuring — all of which must be scripted and maintained. Extract from Array handles both cases in one step: a single element by index (zero-based) or a contiguous sub-array by start and end index. The result is added as a new column ready for immediate use in calculations, filtering, and visualization without array handling code.
What Extract from Array does
Extract a single element or a contiguous sub-array from array-type columns in Infoveave. Pull a value at a specific index or slice a range of elements from JSON array columns stored in tabular data — without Python list indexing, SPLIT_PART queries, or custom array parsing code.
Part of Infoveave Data Automation on the Unified Data Platform.
When to use Extract from Array
- Your dataset has a column that stores an ordered sequence of measurements, scores, events, or values as a JSON array per row, and you need to pull out the element at a fixed position — such as the most recent reading, the first item, or the Nth measurement
- You are processing time-windowed data where each row's array represents a sequence and you need to extract a rolling window or a defined sub-sequence as a new array column for a subsequent aggregation or statistical step
- You are building a feature engineering pipeline for model training where each row's array column needs positional features extracted — such as the first element as the baseline, the last element as the final state, or a middle window as the active period
- You need to split a multi-value array column into separate per-element columns across multiple steps, using Extract from Array with different index values to produce one new column per position
When to avoid it
- You need to extract a value from a JSON object column using a key path rather than an index — use Extract with JSON Path for key-based nested JSON extraction
- You need to combine two or more array columns into a single merged array — use Concatenate Array for array merging
- You need to parse the first element of an array that is actually stored as a delimited string rather than a JSON array — use a text splitting transformation to convert the string format to an array first
Where it fits in your Infoveave automation
Extract from Array is one step inside a multi-step Infoveave workflow. Chain it with other activities — no code, no manual hand-offs.
Build this workflow visually in Infoveave Data Automation — drag, connect, and schedule with no infrastructure setup.
How teams use Extract from Array
Real scenarios where this transformation saves hours of manual work.
Extract Latest and First Prices from Historical Price Array per Product
A retail pricing team stores weekly price history as a JSON array column on each product record, with the latest week's price as the last element. They need the opening price (index 0) and the most recent price (index -1 or last index) as separate columns for a price change analysis dashboard. Two Extract from Array steps pull the first and last price elements into PriceAtLaunch and CurrentPrice columns.
Slice a Rolling 3-Point Sensor Reading Window from an Array Column
An equipment monitoring pipeline stores the last 10 vibration readings as a JSON array per sensor record. The quality team needs readings at positions 3 through 5 (zero-based) as a sub-array for a 3-point moving average calculation. Extract from Array is configured with Extract Sub-Array enabled, Start Index 3, End Index 5 to produce a VibrationWindow column containing a 3-element array for the statistical step.
Extract the Most Significant Transaction Flag from Ranked Flag Array
A fraud detection pipeline produces a RiskFlags JSON array column per transaction where flags are ranked by severity. The compliance dashboard needs only the highest-severity flag (index 0) as a plain text column for alert triage. Extract from Array pulls the first element into PrimaryRiskFlag for direct display in the compliance dashboard without exposing the full flag list.
See Extract from Array in action
Input data (left) is transformed using the configuration below. The output table (right) is ready for dashboards or downstream steps.
ReadingsYesReadingWindowYes13Input Data
| SensorID | Readings |
|---|---|
| S001 | [10, 20, 30, 40, 50] |
| S002 | [5, 15, 25, 35, 45] |
| S003 | [100, 200, 300, 400, 500] |
| S004 | [7, 14, 21, 28, 35] |
| S005 | [3, 9, 27, 81, 243] |
Output Data
| SensorID | Readings | ReadingWindow |
|---|---|---|
| S001 | [10, 20, 30, 40, 50] | [20, 30, 40] |
| S002 | [5, 15, 25, 35, 45] | [15, 25, 35] |
| S003 | [100, 200, 300, 400, 500] | [200, 300, 400] |
| S004 | [7, 14, 21, 28, 35] | [14, 21, 28] |
| S005 | [3, 9, 27, 81, 243] | [9, 27, 81] |
Configuration
Key fields to configure in the Infoveave workflow builder. Full reference available in the documentation.
Column Name
Select the column containing JSON array values. Each row's value is parsed as a JSON array. Rows where the column is null, empty, or not a valid JSON array produce null in the output column.
Extract Sub-Array
Toggle this setting to control the extraction mode. When disabled, configure Index to extract a single scalar element at that position. When enabled, configure Start Index and End Index to extract a contiguous sub-array slice containing the elements from Start to End inclusive.
Index (single element mode)
When Extract Sub-Array is disabled, enter the zero-based index of the element to extract. Index 0 returns the first element, Index 1 the second, and so on. Negative indexing behavior depends on the platform — use non-negative indices for reliable results.
Start Index and End Index (sub-array mode)
When Extract Sub-Array is enabled, configure the zero-based Start Index and the inclusive End Index. For an array [10, 20, 30, 40, 50] with Start=1 and End=3, the output is [20, 30, 40] — elements at positions 1, 2, and 3.
Include Original
Choose whether to retain the source array column in the output alongside the new extracted element or sub-array column.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Extract from Array in Infoveave.
Also in JSON & Array — and what runs before & after
Transformations in the same family as Extract from Array, often chained together in the same Infoveave workflow.
Part of Infoveave Data Automation
80+ transformations. Zero manual steps.
Extract from Array is one of over 80 transformation activities available inside Infoveave workflows. Chain transformations together — no code, no exports, no waiting for IT.
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