Alter.Nation
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Today’s ACE spotlight is @caltang! Keep reading to learn more about Calvin and what makes him a unique Alteryx super user.
Tell us a bit about your professional background.
I started my career as a SQL and Excel person, getting data for my day-to-day work. I got really good at it, and more people started asking for my help. The only problem was that as the requests grew, so did the data. I needed a way, from the business side, to manipulate and prep the data in a faster and more sustainable manner, which is why I started introducing Alteryx to the functions I used to work for.
I was introduced to Alteryx by my sister in 2018-19 when I was at university, and then I started playing around with it and got good at it. Back then, being a university student, I never got the urge to join the community—I just felt I couldn’t contribute much. I decided to join in 2021 and then found out my opinions mattered, and my solutions helped, and I decided to keep going.
Then, I got better with my work and with tools like Alteryx, and eventually, I kept getting headhunted to solve problems. Today, I am here, doing awesome work with awesome people and with an awesome tool!
What is your favorite Alteryx tool, and why?
My favorite Alteryx tool is the Multi Field Formula tool! It’s a robust tool that allows you to change the fields dynamically based on size and data type, and it even helps create new fields with prefix adjustments. The formula expression is super helpful as well and makes it even more dynamic.
I always use that tool in my workflows to ensure I account for as many data changes as possible!
What has been your favorite Alteryx project? Can you tell us about the business problem you solved?
My favorite Alteryx project has been automating actuarial reporting! I’m not an actuary, but I'm proud of having built that many automated forms for my company. It reduced turnaround times from days to minutes, and I can see it impacting the lives of people I work with. Perhaps the most crucial aspect is that I get to make it more robust, and the process is more streamlined than a manual process would be!
What advice do you have for new community members?
I touched on this on an Alter Everything podcast episode recently, so I’ll just expand a bit. When I went to Inspire, people asked me, “How do we get active in the community?”
I think the biggest hurdle that people have to get past is the fear of “looking stupid.” There are really no stupid questions, honestly. Everyone starts with basic questions, and you don’t become an ACE overnight. So, my advice is that anyone can ask a question, and anyone can answer a question. Don’t be afraid to jump in!
Maveryx Chatter is a good way to get started as well—it’s a great icebreaker. Have fun, and just keep exploring. I love the community!
What is your favorite way to engage as an ACE? Also, what area of the online community do you spend the most time in?
I love talking to people in person. I like to think that being an ACE means that I get to help spread my love for the community as I get more opportunities to engage others. I spend most of my time in the Designer Desktop forums, answering all sorts of questions and having a good time! I’m starting to get more into the General and Industry forums, and I’m looking at the Server forum to learn from others.
What discussion topic(s) could Community members tag you in for help?
I like to think I’m pretty good with prep and reporting tools! I am also pretty good with batch macros, but all questions are welcome.
What is one fun thing about you that community members might not know?
Calvin isn’t my real name. I use it because I liked Calvin & Hobbes as a kid, so it stuck. My real name is Kah Wheng, and my surname is Tang. My name basically means “eternal felicity” - as in Chinese 嘉永, and my surname is 鄧!
