Append to exiting sheet Range doe not work on Alteryx server

Question

Hi Team,

I am trying to append to an existing excel file with a sheet to a particular range using output tool. Now everything works fine in the Alteryx desktop version and also able to retain the sheet formatting. But when I'm using the same workflow on Alteryx server I'm able to get the output but the tool removes all the formatting on the sheet. Appreciate any workaround or alternative for this. Below is the configuration of my output tool.

csmith11 · Answer

Where working with Server, Alteryx is creating a new Output File each time the workflow is run. So instead of appending to your template file, the Server is creating a new blank file and writing here. The desktop application is modifying an existing file on your machine.

The solution that you are likely looking for is to to write to a shared drive instead. To do this you'll use the UNC. Its like a URL but UNC stand for Universal Naming Convention. Your sever will need to have access to the shared drive and you'll want to connect using the UNC to the shared drive in both your desktop and server instance of your workflow. This will allow you to write to your pre existing workbook without having to redo any formating.

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Server-Discussions/Reading-Writing-to-Network-Folders-with-Alteryx-Server/td-p/593741

Alternative Solution:

If you just want a formatted Excel sheet for your output, You may be able to use the Reporting tools with Table Formatting then render this to an Excel File. This will be a new Excel file each time. You can include Historical Data by feeding previous version of the output file into the workflow. But you will be writing both Old and New data each time you create this new output file along with formatting everything, This can be very time consuming depending on the amount of data.

hemant86 · Answer

Thanks @csmith11 . I'm not using any shared drive location while using the desktop version and it works fine. May be while creating a new file it also creates the formatting as well and overwrites the file/sheet. But this is in case of Desktop Version.

While using the Server, the output is stored in the Server itself and I download the output from the download option.

And sorry I did not get what's an UNC path.

csmith11 · Answer

Just to clarify: Is this outputting to a Shared Drive? Are you using a UNC path?

If you are not writing the output to a Shared Drive you may be just creating a new file which explains why there is no formatting.