ODBC Connection Keeps Prompting for Username and Password

[Rita_Onwudiwe]

I recently joined my team and was originally connected to our database using the connection string "odbc:DSN=Databank" whenever I pulled in data. After losing that connection, I reconnected using the same ODBC credentials, but now the connection shows as "dcm:Aurora ODBC — Username and password".

The issue with this new connection type is that when I share workflows with colleagues, they get an invalid connection error because the workflow expects my username and password. For them to run the workflow, they either need to enter my credentials (which isn’t possible) or rebuild the connection using their own.

My question is: How can I revert my connection back to odbc:DSN=Databank, or is there a way to embed my password so the workflow runs without requiring others to rebuild the connection?

[dreldrel]

Hi, you can include your username and password directly in the connection string, although this is not recommended from a governance perspective. Below are two examples for DSN and DSN-less connections. In this setup, your credentials will be embedded in the workflow when you share it with others.

DSN connection example:
odbc:DSN={DSN_Name};UID={Username};PWD={Password};

DSN-less example:
odbc:DRIVER={SQL Server Native Client 11.0};UID={Username};PWD={Password};DATABASE={Database_name};SERVER={Database_Host}

A better approach is to use a service account, or assign a dedicated account per user group to run the process. This makes credential management safer and allows you to trace activity back when needed.

[abe_ibanez]

Has your team recently upgraded to a newer version of Alteryx? When we moved to 2025.1, the way we set up database connections changes quite a bit. Since your new connection string says dcm instead of odbc, it makes me believe that you would need to use the new setup method. 

Before setting up the connection within Alteryx, I suggest you verify that your odbc DSN is set up as you expected. To check, go to your start menu and open ODBC Data Source Administrator (64-bit). You may need to run it as admin if the DSN you are using is saved under System DSN, otherwise using the User DSN will work with non-elevated privileges. Depending on the type of database you are using, some will allow you to specify your username in the ODBC driver configuration, and some let you enter a default password. If you are able to enter your username and password within the odbc data source administrator just remember that if your company resets your password every X months, you must promptly update it in your DSN to prevent locking yourself out of your database account. 

Once you are happy with how your DSN is configured, you can set up the connection within Alteryx. 

Within Alteryx, add a input data tool to your canvas. Then click on "Set Up a Connection." Once there, go to Data sources on the left. Once there, look for the connection type you need and click on its respective ODBC option. For example, this is what it looks like if you are using an AS400 database: 

Once there, select "New" and enter the name and the odbc dsn. If multiple people are going to be using this workflow, then you need to make sure that the Data Source Name is the same for everyone. Otherwise, you can stay with the default or choose something that will let you differentiate it from others if you are using multiple odbc connections. 

The ODBC field should have a dropdown menu for you to select your ODBC DSN. Otherwise, when you click the gear icon next to the ODBC DSN field, it will open the ODBC Data Source Administrator. When it does so, select the connection you reviewed at the beginning of this process. 

In the next screen, connect the credentials you want to use: 

Under the Username and Password section, select the credentials you would want to use. If they are not already saved within the DCM, you can choose Credential = Create New Credential, and enter your username and password. Then select Create and link. 

Please note that saving your password is optional. If you don't it will prompt you every time, so its normally easier to just enter it here. 

Alteryx will save your credentials in a secure vault. this will allow you to share the connection with others without ever having to give them your username and password. 

With all that said, if this workflow will be publish to an Alteryx server, it would be better to use a service account or have the user provide their own credentials every time they run it (Alteryx server also allows you to save your credentials as a default so they don't have to type it each time. But, if this workflow is something you will be running on your local desktop, the above setup is probably your best option. 

I really hope this helps :) 

[WirkKarl]

You can revert to your original odbc:DSN=Databank connection by deleting the current “dcm:Aurora ODBC” connection in Alteryx and re-adding the DSN-based ODBC connection. Make sure the DSN is properly configured on each colleague’s machine.

Embedding passwords directly isn’t recommended for security reasons, but if you need shared access, you can:

• Use a DSN-less connection string with credentials stored securely via Alteryx’s Gallery credentials for published workflows.

• Have each user set up their own ODBC DSN with their credentials so the workflow runs locally without errors.

Directly embedding your password in the workflow isn’t safe and will likely cause security warnings. The safest approach is using DSNs configured per user or Alteryx Gallery credential management.