# Scripting/modifying report field text?

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/scripting-modifying-report-field-text/65528>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** scripting\
**Created:** [October 21, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/scripting-modifying-report-field-text/65528 "2022-10-21T15:06:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bigtalljv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bigtalljv](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Bigtalljv)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/scripting-modifying-report-field-text/65528/1 "2022-10-21T15:06:06Z")

</div>

hi,

Is there a way to modify the text returned by a data source key in a report field? Specifically, I would like to truncate the beginning of the source field text (@alarm\_journal.source@). It gets kind of long and the leading prov:default:/tag:XXX/WTP/ could be removed so the tag is easier to read. I'm thinking there might be a way via a script data source but unfortunately, I don't know python...

Thanks,  
Jason

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/scripting-modifying-report-field-text/65528/2 "2022-10-21T15:30:24Z")

</div>

There are some string manipulation functions available:  
[https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Keychain+Expressions#KeychainExpressions-StringFunctions](https://docs.inductiveautomation.com/display/DOC81/Keychain+Expressions#KeychainExpressions-StringFunctions)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bigtalljv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bigtalljv](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Bigtalljv)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/scripting-modifying-report-field-text/65528/3 "2022-10-21T15:38:25Z")

</div>

Wonderful, "substring" was what I was looking for. Thanks!

Jason