Application Interface Dates - Automatic & Manual

[bertal34]

Hi All,

I have requirements to create a workflow which will do both the following:

1) Shortly after quarter end, automatically run a server scheduled workflow using Start & End Dates of the previous Quarter.

2) Workflow should also have the ability to function as an app allowing user to plug-in custom Start/End dates and run the process at any time.

Is this possible to do both in a single application?  How to go about doing it?

Input is much appreciated!

[JosephSerpis]

Hi @bertal34 only workflows can be scheduled on the native scheduler of the Alteryx Server. The abilty to self serve would mean you need to build a Alteryx applicaiton. Therefore you would need a workflow and application to serve your stated goals. However there are many ways to achieve the same thing with Alteryx. You could use the Server API to call a applicaiton at quarter end. You would need a method or application to call the Server API though to commence the applicaiton. Plus addtionally some logic to Input the Start & End dates of your previous quarter with the API call. 

[KSowers]

Are you using the calendar year for the quarters or a different Fiscal Year? 

[bertal34]

@JosephSerpis - thank you that is great information.  I don't think I have ever worked with the Server API before and would like to learn about that one day.  However for this case I think I would be better served to create separate workflow and application.  For workflow, I should be able to add sql function to select previous quarter start/end based on current date.  I can look at a tutorial for the application dates as well.  Thank you!

[bertal34]

Calendar year

[KSowers]

Here is how I would do it as of now. If the box is checked, it uses the previous quarters dates. If not, then it uses the selected dates

[bertal34]

@KSowers 

Interesting, would this option work for querying data from a regular sql server database using the input data tool?  I am trying to think about how it could be modified but not coming up with anything.  Thanks!

[KSowers]

Yup! You can have the update value tools update either the Table name, if that is what you are looking for, or it could edit the SQL code that you are using to select data from a certain date range. Is that what you are trying to do?

[bertal34]

Yes I am trying to create a single APP which will A) run automatically on Server with the default date range of the previous quarter (based on current date) and B) run manually on Server allowing a user to select start/end date range of their choosing.  The below query (Input Data tool) will run automatically on Server with the default date range.  It uses functions to identify the previous quarter start/end dates.  Can I use this query in an APP with Date interface tools and also allow someone to run manually?

select *
from schema.table
where schema.table."Close Date" >= addMonth(addday(current_date(),1-GETDAYOFYEAR(current_date())), (getquarter(current_date())-2)*3)
and schema.table."Close Date" <= LASTDAYOFMONTH(addMonth(addday(current_date(),1-GETDAYOFYEAR(current_date())), (getquarter(current_date())-2)*3+2))

[bertal34 · Accepted solution]

I found the perfect solution by modifying what @KSowers created (FY App.yxwz) and adding a Dynamic Input (replace a specific string) to update my date parameters.

Thanks for your help @KSowers .