Formatted Excel Output to SharePoint

Question

Hi all,

I need to output a formatted Excel report (similar to the Table + Layout + Render combination) directly to a SharePoint document library. This workflow will eventually run on Alteryx Server, so I can't rely on writing to a locally synced SharePoint folder path. My company is also moving everything to SharePoint so I can't output to a local drive then manually copy over.

Is there any way to have a formatted Excel output when writing via the SharePoint Output tool?

Bonus: can you write multiple tabs into the same Excel file in SharePoint without configuring a separate output per tab?

Thanks!

stevemarkovick · Answer

Trying to push a formatted Excel report straight into SharePoint from Alteryx Server is exactly where things get tricky. The main limitation is that native tools don’t really preserve rich formatting (Table/Layout/Render) when writing directly via SharePoint connectors.

trey-godbolt · Answer

Unfortunately, I can't rely on a synced OneDrive or UNC path since this will run on server. My company is migrating all storage to SharePoint so I will need to write directly to a SharePoint document library.

I also can't write to a template because the file changes every time new data is loaded.

dreldrel · Answer

Hey @trey-godbolt, there are several approaches you can consider,

1. If you have an existing Excel file you are loading data to and want to retain the original format, you can create a template file. Configure Alteryx to write data into this template each time. Once the file is updated, you can then move or upload it to SharePoint using your preferred method.

2. An alternative approach is to use a UNC path together with OneDrive sync. In this case, you don't need to use the SharePoint tool.

* You can configure the file location to a UNC location that is accessible by both Alteryx Designer and Alteryx Server. Ensure that the Run As account has the appropriate read and write permissions on this UNC path.
* Have the SharePoint files replicate to the user's folder on the Alteryx Server. Publish the workflow with the user's credentials, and the Server will then be able to access the files.
* Go to Options => Advanced Options => Workflow Dependencies