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Alteryx Designer Desktop Discussions

Find answers, ask questions, and share expertise about Alteryx Designer Desktop and Intelligence Suite.

Best ways to get a question answered quickly

Deano478
12 - Quasar

I'm posting this here as I notice a lot on the community that people will post questions expecting fast answers without giving any context so below I have listed a hopefully useful set of steps that I find would be useful for people to get effective and timely answers:

 

1. Be Clear and Concise

  • Describe Your Issue: Clearly state the problem you're facing. Avoid unnecessary jargon.
  • Provide Context: Include relevant background information, such as what you're trying to achieve and why.
  • Specify Your Environment: Mention your Alteryx version, operating system, and any other relevant technical details.

Example:

Bad Question:

"My workflow isn't working. Can someone help?"

 

Good Question:

"I'm using Alteryx Designer 2021.3 on Windows 10. My workflow fails at the Join tool with the error 'Mismatched field types'. I'm trying to join two datasets based on a common field, but one is string and the other is numeric. How can I resolve this?"

 

2. Share Your Work

  • Upload Screenshots: Include images of your workflow, error messages, or relevant data to provide visual context.
  • Attach Sample Data: Share a sample of your data, if possible. Ensure sensitive information is removed or anonymized.
  • Provide Workflow Files: Attach your .yxmd or .yxzp files so others can see exactly what you're working with.

Example:

Bad Question:

"My data isn't joining correctly. What should I do?"

 

Good Question:

"I’ve attached my workflow and a sample of my datasets. The Join tool is supposed to match 'Customer ID', but I keep getting unmatched records. Here’s a screenshot of the configuration and the error message."

 

3. Be Specific About Errors

  • Detail Error Messages: Include the exact error message and code you’re seeing.
  • Describe Steps Taken: Mention what you’ve tried so far to solve the issue and the results of those attempts.

Example:

Bad Question:

"I keep getting an error when I run my workflow."

 

Good Question:

"I receive the error 'Tool ID 23: Record limit exceeded' when running my workflow. I've tried increasing the memory allocation, but the error persists. The workflow is supposed to process a large dataset of 500,000 records. Any suggestions?"

 

4. Ask Specific Questions

  • Focus on One Issue at a Time: It’s easier for community members to help when you focus on a single issue rather than multiple unrelated problems.
  • Clarify Your Goal: Make sure your question aligns with what you’re trying to achieve. If you need a workaround, mention that.

Example:

Bad Question:

"How do I use Alteryx?"

 

Good Question:

"How can I use the Summarize tool to calculate the total sales per region? I’ve tried grouping by region and summing the sales field, but my output seems incorrect. What might I be doing wrong?"

 

5. Be Patient and Polite

  • Give It Time: Remember that community members are helping in their free time. Allow some time for responses.
  • Express Gratitude: A simple thank you goes a long way. It encourages others to help and fosters a positive community spirit.

Example:

Bad Question:

"Why is no one helping me?"

 

Good Question:

"Thank you in advance for your help! I appreciate the time and effort from everyone in the community."

5 REPLIES 5
Raj
16 - Nebula

@Deano478 
thank you for posting this.

alexnajm
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@Deano478 love this!!!

apathetichell
19 - Altair

This needs to be pinned to the top of this forum.

Deano478
12 - Quasar

I'm going to bump this so it stays at the top unless there's a way for an Admin to pin it?

 

Deano478
12 - Quasar

Again trying to keep this post relevant so i'm just tryna bump it again so people can see it and get use from it

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