A sales team forwards records with a numeric column representing purchase order numbers. Occasionally, values include an alphanumeric prefix (e.g., PO-312), which causes ingestion to fail in the reporting system that expects strictly numeric values. Which data preparation step would best address this issue in a structured way?
Increase the field size to allow for these additional characters as-needed
Remove unwanted characters and then apply a numeric format
Store all rows in a general text field to bypass validation
Label the column differently so the system reads it as text
Removing these additional characters and inserting the remaining digits would solve the issue while ensuring the PO number is a valid numeric field. A free-form field might accept anything but would reduce data reliability. Renaming the column does not correct the problem of text in the field. Increasing the field size does not resolve incorrect types. Ensuring a correct numeric format preserves data integrity and avoids rejections.
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