Add a Credentials/Environment Variables Manager

[ephij]

The "Manage Data Connections" tool is fantastic to save credentials alongside the connection without having to worry when you save the workflow that you've embedded a password. 

Imagine if - there were a similar utility to handle credentials/environment variables. 

• I could create an entry, give it a description, a username, and an encrypted password stored in my options, then refer to that for configurations/values throughout my workflows. 
  • Tableau credentials in the publish to tableau macro
  • Sharepoint Credentials in the sharepoint list connector
• When my password changes I only have to change it in one place
• If I handoff the workflow to another user I don't have to worry about scanning the xml to make sure I'm not passing them my password
• When a user opens my workflow that doesn't have a corresponding entry in their credentials manager they would be prompted using my description to add it.
• Entries could be exported and shared as well (with passwords scrubbed)

Example Entry Tableau:

Alias	Tableau Prod
Description	Tableau Production Server
UserID	JPhillips
Password	*********
+

Then when configuring a tool you could put in something like [Tableau Prod].[Password] and it would read in the value.

Or maybe for Sharepoint:

Alias	TeamSP
Description	Team sharepoint location
UserID	JPhillips
Password	*********
URL	http://sharepoint.com/myteam
+

Or perhaps for a team file location:

Alias	TeamFiles
Description	Root directory for team files
Path	\\server.net\myteam\filesgohere
+

Any of these values could be referenced in tool configurations, formulas, macro inputs by specifying the Alias and field.

[simonaubert_bd]

Hello,

Please consider also this idea about credentials alias :
https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Single-password-change-for-everything/idi-p/...

[ephij]

As an Alteryx Artisan/Designer/user I want:

1. to be able to have a single location to store and change variables used across workflows
2. to specify them in formulas and tool configurations
3. selectively encrypt values (like passwords)
4. export and share these variables with others
5. have an independent set configured on the server for scheduled jobs

[ephij]

good find @simonaubert_bd!

[dataMack]

I think that @SeanAdams would like this enhancement as well. Definitely need something like this when working with larger teams and SDLC processes.

[ephij]

Critically we'd want it to have a server side analog. So when a workflow was published to server the credentials file on the server would be used, allowing secure functional credentials to be stored safely.

[wale_ilori]

YES! YES!! YES!!! This would save me a lot of headache. We can add the salesforce connector to that as well.

[KylieF]

Thank you for posting to the Alteryx Community! This idea is currently being reviewed by the Alteryx Development Team for a possible future release. Please note that this review process can take some time, we’ll do our best to keep you up to date on the status of your idea.

[bora_perusic]

Thank you for the feedback! We are currently working on redesigning the way Alteryx handles and stores data connections and credentials to a more user friendly method, similar to a credential manager. As this is a fairly large undertaking, fully implementing this feature may take some time, however we do hope to have this available in a 2020 Alteryx release.

[ronniet7626]

Hi, Having a similar issue with scheduling a workflow in Gallery. Workflow runs perfectly when run in Designer, by manually entering Snowflake server login details. When scheduling in Gallery running on a different host there is no way of passing the Snowflake server login details. Would like Gallery to have the ability to read a password file associated with workflows. Thanks Ronnie .

[bobpeers]

You could try this custom tool I made recently to access saved credentials from Windows Credentials Manager.

See the post here: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/Retrieve-saved-credentials-from-Window...

Best regards,

Bob