Dynamically change file name and add different tabs

Question

Hi All,

sorry if this question has been asked, I could not find my exact problem yet.

I created a workflow that will have to write into the same output file at the end. One tab is an overview tab of cost for a number of internal orders, the following tabs will have details on those cost by internal order (one tab per internal order - I do this with the setting in the output file to create the different tabs).

I'm able to achive this as long as I use a specified file name. Now I want to add the date to the file name, like in the thread in the link below. But now I can't figure out how to set up the second output tool in order to write into the newly created file without either deleting the overview file, or an error message...

Solved: Dynamically change file name and output to differe... - Alteryx Community

Can somebody point me in the right direction?

DataNath · Accepted Answer

Hey @Conny_Rabe, if I'm understanding the question right then you should be able to achieve this using a Block Until Done tool. This does exactly what it says on the tin - blocks the next stream from running, until the previous one has completed. This is necessary for your case as, without the BUD tool, Alteryx will try and open & write to the same file simultaneously which it can't, hence the error you currently get.

First stream - your initial file that you are creating, with the overview page:

Second stream - your detailed tabs. Pay attention to the configuration in the bottom left here as you need to take the file/table name from field (Internal Orders in your case), and change the file/table name.

The output will look like below - with the overall sheet first and the detailed ones following:

I've attached the dummy workflow I've used, just for you to look at the configuration and reverse engineer where needed. Hope this helps! Do let us know if not.

Edit: Realised that this would need an extra step because of the dynamic naming with the date. To do this I would just add a Formula tool to each stream, the first containing the name you want + the field you want to use to dynamically name it (I've just used DateTimeToday). In the second stream you'd build the exact same filepath (so that it writes to the same file), but you'd replace the 'Sheet1' with the field that you're splitting your tabs on (Internal Orders for you):