Trying to freeze certain column on output from render tool to excel xlsx

Question

Hello all, I I have taken a csv input file and connected it to the table tool, then the render standard tool for the output. Curious, is there a way for when the user opens the excel document, panes are already frozen as desired through the Alteryx flow? As in C2 Column frozen for the user experience? This is a common question at my employment, I have seen it asked many times in the past but nothing recently. Appreciate any insight.

DavidP · Accepted Answer

Hi @dberroth

The Render tool does not support freeze panes, I'm pretty sure.

The only way you could do this is by using an Output Data tool. Alteryx versions 2020.1 and later supports functionality in the Output data tool to Retain existing Excel formatting when writing to a defined cell range in an existing Excel workbook.

So, you could create your Excel file with your Render tool workflow as you described, then set up the freeze panes in Excel for the file created and then change your workflow to use an Output data tool instead. You would have to define the file path as

c:\foldername\filename.xlsx|||Sheet1$A1:J

if you have 10 columns of data for instance. Select the option to keep formatting in the Output Data tool.