Add "Save as Default Configuration" checkbox/button for each tool

[ephij]

Frequently with more complicated tool configurations I end up having to setup certain elements over and over again.  Would be great to have a one click "use this as the default" configuration that would follow my profile and apply to all future drags of that tool onto the workflow.  Configuration elements that depend on the input fields would not be impacted.

Also an apply all feature to apply the similar configuration elements to all tools of the same tool type.

Example Configuration Elements

Comment Tool - Shape, Font, text Color, Background Color, Alignment...

Tool Container - Text Color, fill color , border color, transparency, margin

Table Tool - Default Table Settings

Union Tool - "Auto config by name", Actions when fields differ

Data Clensing - all configuration elements

Sample - all configuration elements

[fharper]

Agreed, thumbs up

[srini]

I cant agree more. Each of us has a specific set of configurations that we are used to and would like to repeat each time we create a workflow. The defaults should be based on my profile that I assign and save/ modify.

2 Thumbs Up.

[Johnny]

It's a nice idea that will save user's time a lot.

[RachelW]

Thanks for submitting this idea. I'm trying to understand it better. Could you use a macro to capture configuration that you frequently use? This would also help you combine several tools together in a frequently used tool sequence. 

Thanks again for submitting ideas!

[patrick_digan]

@RachelW I don't know that a macro would be the right solution. 

For example, when I drop a multi-field tool onto the canvas, it looks like this:

I almost never want it to copy it to a new field, so every time I add this tool I have to remember to uncheck the box. If @ephij's suggestion is implemented, then I imagine a world where this tool (and all tools) would have a button where I could click "use this as default configuration". That way for me on my machine, the Multi-Field tool will be changed so that by default that checkbox is unchecked.

[fharper]

Agreed, I get the macro idea and I think it usable right now but a bit inconvenient. 

If we used the macro approach fully we would basically duplicate all the tools we would want to have different defaults for under a new name.  ok for those with a few tools less so for those with many tools to set up and it doesn't put them on the tool bar rather we have to insert or drag for an explorer window.

Ideally there would be a check box on the configuration view to save the configuration settings as defaults and use it or don't per the individual.  

• easy to use
• One tool instead of one or more duplicates in macro form to manage
• still and available thru tool bar or favorites
• maybe un-check to get system default back
• flexible to change over time also, example you may set a default one way and months later decide to alter the default via the normal config change but leaving the save checked will make it the new default.
  • This is I think the one place there could be a challenge as you might want to deviate from the save default for a single instance but the system currently and i assume in the future only keeps one config default.  given this a one time change is a change until you change it back unless the checkbox to save the new config default is reset after saving.  then you have the question of does alteryx keep 2 default configs, the system default and the user default or do you just keep one default and the user can modify it, in which case there is no reset to default without manually changing it.  Given my tool use and behavior either works and having a simple reset to a system default is not a big deal as we know the options and choose what we want easy enough.
  • I would be happy with the tools simply remembering the last config selections for the next use and let it be an evolving thing but good programming practice, knowing the range of users from novice to expert, it is probably wise to have to choose to save the settings by action and being able to reset to a system default easily.

An alternate path might be to allow users to clone tools, add a suffix to the name and set the config as desired and save.  might be a technical short cut to deliver.  we end up with more tools, i.e. dups, but if you give us the ability to add and remove tools from the toolbar like Microsoft does in EXCEL and other products we can customize our "ribbon", aka tool bar selections with our cloned or standard tools or both as we see fit.  all your config and other metadata for tools must be stored in related files keyed on a tool specific value now...If you allow cloning the new cloned tool will get its own copy of the metadata that can be customized by the user and saved without altering the original tool delivered by Alteryx.  This way new releases and updates won't be as much an issue wiping out config settings on cloned tools.  This should only be an issue if the config file is modified by a release/update like if a new config setting is added in a release.

aside from the original feature request I really like the idea of being able to customize the tool bar more fully, beyond just having the favorites.  

[RachelW]

Thanks for the clarification! That helps me understand the problem you are trying to solve. This isn't something we would be able to add globally, we would have to add tool by tool. We'll consider this in the design as we rebuild tools. If we made changes to existing tools, which tools do you consistently find yourself making the same configuration changes for all workflows? I'd like to know which tool as well as what changes you are always making, because we may want to investigate changing the default selection as a way to help solve this problem. 

[ephij]

A few I can think of -
Comment Formatting (could also be simply included in the options menu similar to how you've done Container formatting)
Download Tool
Union Tool
Sharepoint List Input
Sharepoint List Output
Email Tool

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[patrick_digan]

Here is my short list of changes I make almost every time:

1) I always change the filter to custom filter.

2) Multi-Field Formula copy output field should not be checked. I normally setup the multi-field tool, run my module, try to figure out why my formula didn't work, and then uncheck the box that's copying it to a new field. 

3) Macro Input show field map should be unchecked. When I'm building macros, I rarely want the field map to be shown. 

There are just based on my experience and other users may have a different opinion. That's why I like the idea of having this be customizable per user.

[derekbelyea]

Agreed. This would be a time saver.  Isn't that what Alteryx is all about ?  ...making us more productive...