topic Re: Alteryx Weekly Exercise - Week #6 Spatial Route Aggregation in Weekly Challenges

Challenge #6: Spatial Route

GeneR — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 13:50:04 GMT

We hope you enjoyed last week's challenge. For the sixth challenge lets look at some of the geospatial capabilities in Alteryx.

The challenge for week 6 will focus on analyzing distance traveled by sales reps.

Sales reps are travelling all over the US. The data contained in the workflow details the travel paths for 7 Reps to 7 different cities. The travel route is detailed as well. The objective of this challenge is to determine which Rep has logged the most miles. Please include the route traveled as a spatial object in the output.

We have listed this as an intermediate challenge since not everyone is familiar with the Spatial tools. As always, we love to hear your comments. We hope you are having fun with the challenges!

Re: Alteryx Weekly Exercise - Week #6 Spatial Route Aggregation

JulieH — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 16:28:23 GMT

The solution for this exercise has been uploaded, see the attachment above. We'll be taking a break for the holidays, and will resume weekly exercises on the first Monday of January. Happy holidays to all!

Re: Alteryx Weekly Exercise - Week #6 Spatial Route Aggregation

TomWelgemoed — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 12:46:57 GMT

Hi,

Think there is an error in the output data that was submitted with the challenge. I get different results even if use the solution file provided, so it does look like the challenge file has incorrect output data.

Thanks,

Tom

P.S: For example, I get these values for Diana & Cathy in terms of distance travelled.

9077.844095
6777.003786

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

MarqueeCrew — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 19:27:33 GMT

@GeneR & @JulieH,

I was late to the party, but got different results (like @TomWelgemoed). I've solved the problem in the same manner as Gene, so I'm in good company. @LeahK, this could have been you posting here!

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

rajiv_tarafdar — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 02:20:36 GMT

Same here. Is this supposed to be a tricky question?

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

KatieA — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 23:33:36 GMT

Solution attached!

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

SeanAdams — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 09:08:35 GMT

Looks like I'm the only one who tackled this in a slightly ham-fisted way :-) - ah well, live and learn.

Split the data into 2 streams
Stream1:
- multi-row formula to carry down the "Previous city" to the next row
- Used the distance tool to figure out the distance for each leg
- Summarize tool to add this up, and summarize by rep

Stream 2: route poly

Then used a plain-old-join to bring them together.

Same result as @TomWelgemoed, @MarqueeCrew, @rajiv_tarafdar, @KatieA

Thank you @KatieA - your solution re-enforced for me that I need to spend as much (if not more) time on the formula capability of Alteryx, not just the pre-provided tools

Question for this group: Is there a way of digitally proving that the route in the solution matches the route we each provided? I tried using the SpatialProcess tool with an InverseIntersection selector, but I'm not sure that this is the right way of approaching this. Is this perhaps just as simple as doing a text-compare on the centroid cast to a string value?

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

smbourke — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 00:18:11 GMT

Hi Sean,

Late to the party here as I am going back and doing some of the old challenges.

In relation to your Question for the group: Is there a way of digitally proving that the route in the solution matches the route we each provided? I tried using the SpatialProcess tool with an InverseIntersection selector, but I'm not sure that this is the right way of approaching this. Is this perhaps just as simple as doing a text-compare on the centroid cast to a string value?

I used a Spatial Match tool, where the Target contains the Universe. This works as if the geometries are identical they will contain each other. Whereas if there is a difference they will come out of the U(nmatched) port.

See attached solution for an example, I have removed all 2nd destinations to create a different line. I have however done the text compare on the spatial geometry in the past (use a select tool and force the spatial object to a String).

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

SeanAdams — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 10:12:01 GMT

Thank you @smbourke - worked like a charm!

Appreciate the assistance.

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

NicoleJohnson — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 20:11:33 GMT

Apparently I was in the "ham-fisted" solution boat with @SeanAdams. :) But I did check the posted solution afterwards and marveled at the simplicity of it, so I'll be logging that one away for future use!

Two streams:
1. One with Polyline
2. Multi-Row Formula to determine "next stop" > Join by TripOrder = Next Stop to bring in the Spatial Object for the second stop for each record > Find Distance between First Stop & Next Stop > Summarize by REP > Join with Polyline.

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

Laurap1228 — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 11:53:32 GMT

Number 6 done!

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

estherb47 — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 19:26:28 GMT

Another fun one

Spoiler

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

DE0413 — Thu, 04 May 2017 20:20:25 GMT

This challenge is definitely beyond my knowledge base as I have not worked with spatial tools. Are there tutorials that would help a beginner to develop competency with these spatial tools?

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

SeanAdams — Fri, 05 May 2017 00:46:56 GMT

Hey @DE0413,

There are a few resources that you can look to:

@JoeM has a training session on some of the tools here: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Live-Training/Live-Training-Spatial-Analytics-for-Beginners/td-p/43863
@MattD has a tool mastery entry that covers Trade Area - and in the process you can see some of the other tools in use: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Knowledge-Base/Tool-Mastery-Trade-Area/ta-p/47031
Additional training here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9gBTYebeME & here: http://www.alteryx.com/resources/spatial-analytics-using-alteryx
There are a couple of interesting videos on Youtube (just search for "Alteryx Spatial")

The other thing you can do is break down spatial into some of the core concepts and expiriment / play:

Core concepts: spatial analysis uses a set of unique spatial objects that you can think of as 3 things: areas (think of the area covered by your hand of you put it over a piece of a map); points (like a dot on a map - called Centroids); and paths (a line from A to B; and from B to C - essentially lines connecting points)
The tools then tie back to this:
- If you have a longitude / lattitude; you can create points using "Create Points"
- Once you have points - you can compare them using Distance
- you can turn points into areas in a few ways - for example either using poly-build (connect the points I stopped on my road-trip, and tell me the area of the country I covered); or using Trade Area (given 10 points on a map, what would that look like if I put a circle around each to cover an area around those points)
- Spatial info is super helpful 'cause it tells you more about either your points or your paths or areas (centroids; polygons or areas)
- Once you have an area defined - you may want to make it bigger; smooth out some of the edges; create some extra space etc (Buffer; Smooth; Gerneralise)
- Spatial Match is then used for comparison of spatial objects
- Spatial process is used for finding overlaps / intersections etc of the objects
- And finally the piece that took me a while to understand is that you can also use some of the regular tools on spatial objects - like the Summarize tool has some spatial capabilites too.

This should get you started and allow you to play with the core tools, and possibly to learn through experimentation.

Cheers

Sean

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

DE0413 — Fri, 05 May 2017 13:03:11 GMT

Thank you so much Sean! I will be sure to check these out.

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

DE0413 — Fri, 05 May 2017 14:16:27 GMT

Hi Sean,

If I'm not able to access the TomTom maps in my Alteryx application, should I assume my license did not include it?

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

Phil_L57 — Tue, 09 May 2017 12:53:40 GMT

Also had different output, same as solution though

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

LordNeilLord — Sun, 21 May 2017 18:40:49 GMT

Spatial tools are my favourite

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

KOBoyle — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:47:21 GMT

Solution attached. This was my first exposure to the spatial tools. I was able to get all but the route lines on my own. The solution was very informative.

Ken

Re: Challenge #6: Spatial Route

A_Twa — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 15:38:03 GMT

As others have noted, I get different results when compared to the output, but since the official solution and I agree, I calling this one done! ;)