Select both a output file and specific tab on this file in analytic app

[sambarnes]

Hi There,

Apologies if this has been asked before, I couldn't find an answer upon searching the community. I am very new to Alteryx myself so learning as I go!

We currently have an app on server which has a text box/ action to identify which tab we need to output to on the specified file. The current output writes to one tab on the output file, but then repeats this 2 more times (consecutive months) so there are three separate tabs inside the one workbook for the quarter. This file then needs to be submitted, and a new workbook for the new quarter created.

My question am I able to amend this app so that the user can first select which output file they want to write to, and then select which tab?

Thanks in advance!

[mbarone]

By "select" do you mean choose from a drop down or list, or do you mean manually type the file name and also the tab name?  

[sambarnes]

Selecting the output file location with a browse would be good as this is currently used for input files, so a drop down/list/ browse would be good if possible.

[mbarone]

Have you tried using (or looking at the sample) for the Drop Down and/or File Browse Interface Tools?  More advanced that basic entering of text, but can be done.

[Jonathan-Sherman · Accepted solution]

Hi @sambarnes,

You could use the folder browse to amend the location the file gets written out to, and two text box interface tools to change the file name and sheet name:

The trick with these tools is to tell your workflow what to do with the "parameter" your user enters. The action too defines how the interface tool interacts with the standard tools (output tool in this case).

If we look at the action tool connected to the folder browse we're updating a value in the connected tool (output tool) and only want to replace part of the file value (the output file string). You'll see at the bottom of the configuration pane we're only updating part of the string (in other words just the file path of this folder).

The other two action tools update the file name and the sheet name:

File Name:

Sheet Name:

I've attached my workflow for you to download if needed!

Kind regards,

Jonathan

[sambarnes]

Thank you Jonathan that was super useful.

[Jonathan-Sherman]

No problem at all! Once you've learned the technique of using the action tools they're great!