Obfuscate values in a spreadsheet

[monikersupreme]

I have a set of Excel spreadsheets that I am using as source data for a program I am writing. I want to create a set of data that retains the structure of the source data but obfuscates the cell values. In short, I need to keep the column names but should randomize numerical values, name strings, and dates.

Does anyone know of a VBA script that might do some or all of this already?

I was set to starting trying to write this from scratch but I feel (hope) perhaps some of the work may already be done...

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[FDibbins]

According to a quick google search...

ob·fus·cate


/ˈäbfəˌskāt/


verb

3rd person present: obfuscates




render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
"the spelling changes will deform some familiar words and obfuscate their etymological origins"


synonyms: obscure, confuse, make unclear, blur, muddle, complicate, overcomplicate, muddy, cloud, befog
"mere rationalizations to obfuscate rather than clarify the real issue"



antonyms: clarify



•bewilder (someone).
"it is more likely to obfuscate people than enlighten them"


synonyms: bewilder, mystify, puzzle, perplex, confuse, baffle, confound, bemuse, befuddle, nonplus; informalflummox
"her work became more and more obfuscated by mathematics and jargon"

So is this what you want?

 

[StephenCrump]

I have a set of Excel spreadsheets that I am using as source data for a program I am writing. I want to create a set of data that retains the structure of the source data but obfuscates the cell values. In short, I need to keep the column names but should randomize numerical values, name strings, and dates.

Have you checked out what's available on the interweb?

If not, googling "generate test data" might be a good starting point?

 

[monikersupreme]

According to a quick google search...

So is this what you want?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_masking

"Data masking ^[1] or data obfuscation ^[2] is the process of hiding original data with random characters or data..."

 

[shg]

Por qué?

 

[FDibbins]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_masking

"Data masking ^[1] or data obfuscation ^[2] is the process of hiding original data with random characters or data..."

Pretty much what my search said

Why use words that some people may need to look up, instead of just stating that you want to overwrite the data with random characters?

 

[monikersupreme]

Pretty much what my search said

Why use words that some people may need to look up, instead of just stating that you want to overwrite the data with random characters?

"In short, I need to keep the column names but should randomize numerical values, name strings, and dates."

 

[monikersupreme]

Por qué?

The purpose is to create test data from a set of generated reports that contain sensitive data. I need the data (with structure) for development purposes. Normally I would just do this on the database itself but, in this instance, I can *only* get the generated report, and I'd rather do the obfuscation in place then spreading the data around in too many places.

TLDR; I can write a script to do it, I guess I was hoping for a plug/add-in or extension for Excel or a snippet of VBA that I could play with but given that folks here seem to be having trouble with the basic concept of data obfuscation (and indeed, as it would seem, big complicated words in general I'm thinking I may be in the wrong place.

Thanks for your responses nonetheless.

For anyone scouting this forum in the future, I did manage to find a plugin (prior to coming here) called AnonymousXL but I think it's for purchase only. There is a paper, however, that details the algorithm along with certain case considerations:

http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1209/paper_15.pdf

However, if you are new to data obfuscation in general, I'd start with the wiki entry (see above).

 

[shg]

Glad you were able to get it sorted without the help of our vokabbalary-limited crowd.

 

[monikersupreme]

Glad you were able to get it sorted without the help of our vokabbalary-limited crowd.

Apologies for the snark in my last message, it wasn't directed at you per se rather more at some of the earlier responses. I guess I wasn't expecting to get trolled on an Excel help forum