How to not create output when no records

Hi !

I have a workflow with several outputs, and several of these outputs can be empty (no records).

How I can stop the output(s) where I have no record, and allowing at the same time the creation of the other outputs where there is at least one record ?

Thanks a lot !

Kind regards,

Olivia

Output

Accepted answers

MarqueeCrew

@olivia_paquot,

That was an interesting question to solve. First, I want to point you to an idea for a programmatic detour. This would solve the problem in a straight-forward way:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Product-Ideas/Programmatic-Detour/idi-p/12763

Now for the answer to your post....

Step #1: Create a field called NULL and fill it with a formula NULL()

Screen Shot 2017-02-14 at 8.04.51 AM.png

Step #2: Include NULL as part of the file/table name in the output configuration. Uncheck the field (not to keep it in output).

Screen Shot 2017-02-14 at 8.09.11 AM.png

This will prevent the output file from being created (No error message is created) when 0 records are present and will create a normal output file when data is present.

Happy Valentine's Day,

Mark

All comments

MarqueeCrew

@olivia_paquot,

That was an interesting question to solve. First, I want to point you to an idea for a programmatic detour. This would solve the problem in a straight-forward way:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Product-Ideas/Programmatic-Detour/idi-p/12763

Now for the answer to your post....

Step #1: Create a field called NULL and fill it with a formula NULL()

Screen Shot 2017-02-14 at 8.04.51 AM.png

Step #2: Include NULL as part of the file/table name in the output configuration. Uncheck the field (not to keep it in output).

Screen Shot 2017-02-14 at 8.09.11 AM.png

This will prevent the output file from being created (No error message is created) when 0 records are present and will create a normal output file when data is present.

Happy Valentine's Day,

Mark

olivia_paquot

Thanks a lot, it works !

Have a nice day.

Hi Mark,

The solution worked. Thanks. I have a follow-up question on this. I have a workflow that I execute prior to a data load for quality check and within this workflow I write to a single output file say "QC_Report.xlsx" but several tabs and I used the option as suggestion by you. I have the output option as "Overwrite Sheet (Drop)". This works. However, if the output file had data written to a tab "Missing Definitions" from a prior workflow run and during the current load there are no records to be written, then the empty tab will remain in the output file.

If the file name does not change with each workflow run but I want no empty tabs, how would i go about it? If I don't want to change the file name in every output tool, how can I generate a new output file using a formula tool and still be able to use the new file name along with the "Null" option for the suffix?

Thanks,

Aruna

rpenatez_dup_538

This is awesome! Great trick!

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