Formula to Read the Contents of the File using the Sheet Name

[KamenRider]

Hi,

I have some problems on reading the Sheet Name to fully access the contents of the excel File. The name of the File is TKL 2023.08.11.xls and the Sheet name is Syndicates-20230811-1709. The structure of my workflow uses a directory tool to be able for me get the latest date as below.

My formula tool is just [FullPath] and I am receiving error as "No Table chose; please select a table from data source". Please advise what configuration shall be entered maybe in the formula tool for me view the contents of the file. How can enter to choose the sheet name with format as  >>  Syndicates-20230811-1709.

Hope to share your expertise on this.

Thank,

Kamen

[rzdodson]

@KamenRider to answer your question, if you don't package the workflow before saving to the shared drive, the macros may not work because their macro input tools typically rely on incoming data fields arranged in specific ways, or have specific formatting. If that macro relies on an Excel file input, for example, the workflow will error out once it hits the macro because it is trying to retrieve data to support the macro that is no longer available due to the file being stored elsewhere and is "unattached" to the workflow.

If the input data is dynamically retrieved (i.e. web source) your macro would still work in the workflow regardless if the workflow was packaged.

As a best practice, always export your workflow to your shared drive as a packaged workflow. This will ensure won't run in to issues with being able to retrieve incoming data, can help the developer with error trapping/troubleshooting, and can provide an element of version control to your project.

[KamenRider]

Hi @rzdodson 

Thank you for your response. What I did in order to connect to the macro is to save it in the shared drive together with the workflow and call it out after I open the workflow. In line to what you said to package, am I right to go to the Options and export workflow? Do you have a step by step process on how to package the workflow?

Kamen

[rzdodson]

@KamenRider follow these steps:

If you have never saved the workflow before:

1. Go to File > Save As
2. Save file as an Alteryx Workflow file (yxmd)
3. After saving, go to Options > Export Workflow
4. Save the file as an Alteryx Packaged Workflow file (yxzp)

This seems duplicative, but Alteryx needs an instance of the Alteryx workflow saved first before proceeding with packaging the workflow.

If you have already previously saved the Alteryx workflow as a .yzmd file on your shared drive, for example, you'll just need to do steps 3 and 4.

Hope that helps! :)