What is your best advice for troubleshooting a workflow?

Question

Hello Alteryx community! For my undergrad course, we are currently covering the basics of Alteryx. While I have found it very user-friendly
so far, I can see how easy it can be to get stuck troubleshooting a workflow.

Personally, what is your process for troubleshooting errors? Are there specific steps you take? How long before you come to the community
for help?

Thank you!

DawnDuong · Answer

hi @german5299

For a new user, I'd recommend the Trouble shooting interactive lessons:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Interactive-Lessons/tkb-p/interactive-lessons/label-name/Troubleshooting

Those lessons actually outline commonly encountered errors, why they occur and how to fix them.

Dawn.

danilang · Answer

Hi @german5299

To add to @cmcclellan's excellent points

Use a small, well defined data set for debugging.  This data set should cover all the cases that you need, but be small enough so that you can look the results of each tool and be able to manually perform the operation to compare the result.  For example, if you're debugging a Cross Tab tool, use data set that will result in just 2 rows and 3 columns.  That way you can perform the Cross tab on a sheet paper and compare this to the results that you see in Alteryx.

Dan

cmcclellan · Answer

My steps are usually:

- Add Browse tools (so you can really see what's happening)

- Talk it over with a colleague

- Create a sample for posting in the forum (you won't believe how often this will solve the problem!!)

- Post your question, include workflow, sample data, and enough information for a complete stranger to understand the problem.