PDF as an output option for SharePoint Files Output Tool

[Joe_Lipski]

The Sharepoint file tools are certainly a step in the right direction, but it would be great to enhance the files types that it is possible to write to sharepoint from Alteryx.

The format missing that I think is probably most in demand is pdf. If we're using the Alteryx reporting suite to create PDF reports, it would be awesome to have an easy way to output these to Sharepoint.

https://help.alteryx.com/20213/designer/sharepoint-files-output-tool

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Public-Community-Gallery/Sharepoint-Files-Tool/ta-p/877903

[JimmyJLL]

Bumping this thread, are there any updates? Due to IT restrictions, work arounds are very difficult for my team to implement / maintain. 

[bertal34]

@PierreRodriguez Could you please send me the macro "macro_send_files_to_sharepoint"?  Thank you!

[dsteinberg]

@PierreRodriguez Could you please send me the macro "macro_send_files_to_sharepoint" too?  Thank you!

[PierreRodriguez]

Hi @dsteinberg @bertal34 , I couldn´t attach the macro in this comment but I created this new post with the .yxmc file: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Desktop-Discussions/PDF-as-an-output-option-for-Sh... 

[AshRez]

Three years later and counting, what is the progress here?

I am more interested on the idea of creating any type of files and be able to upload it to SharePoint. I need KML, KMZ, ZIP as a sample but it could be better if we can upload any type of files as @ VojtechT from Alteryx suggested.

Using our own way by Python is unsecured solution as our password will be out there and vulnerable.
Although I would love to also be able to use Credentials saved on the DCM into Python, if anyone knows how.

[bertal34]

@AshRez 

First, I have no clue if Alteryx will ever create a solution to upload files to Sharepoint.

Second, we have found Sharepoint connector tools are a terrible experience to work with.  Many reasons why: extremely limited in functionality, limited file types, user's dcm credentials expire every 90 days making authentication burdensome, intermittent errors

Third, at least for my organization, it is imperative to be able to 1) use Input & Output tools for all file types supported by Alteryx 2) use Input & Output tools for files saved to any location (Sharepoint, network drives, etc)  3) create workflows that work seamlessly in both Designer and Server

For these reasons, my organization has given Alteryx users cloud storage space using Azure Files and it's been working very well.  Benefits: 1) UNC paths allow all users to reference one familiar location  2) works seamlessly between Designer and Server  3) approximately 9 of 10 use cases allow files to be stored in Azure instead of Sharepoint  4) allows full use and flexibility of Input & Output tools (as well as other tools like Directory, Render, Image Input, etc)

Just wanted to put this out there.  If your organization's Alteryx solutions are being limited because of Sharepoint, I would strongly advocate for something like Azure Files.

[AshRez]

Hey @bertal34 , thank you for the response.

I couldn't agree more on how horribly made these SharePoint Input and output.

In my case, it is hard to get my organization to do the Azure Files, as they invested in SharePoint and office365.
So the Alteryx server admin, was able to create UNC for local files, that we could use it as temporary and cleanup after each use. But I still need to publish the results to the SharePoint because of many reasons including the access from Power BI for dashboard reporting.

I tried to use the SharePoint Input to download all the files I need to process in Alteryx, but I found that each file needs download require its own SharePoint Input tool, so I created a macro that allows multiple files to download dynamically using the SharePoint Input, but I came across the upload issue that do not exist today in Alteryx tools. So I finally decided to build my own tools using Python and Python Tool to customize a lot better and more efficient tool that allows exploring the files and folders in SharePoint, Downloading one or more files as needed, and also allow uploading the file or files to SharePoint. the only hiccup was how to ensure the credentials are secured , which I am using Service principal account, so it won't expire, but then I found the solution was to lock the macro or workflow that has these credentials, which encrypt the credentials and everything in that workflow.  and won't allow anyone including myself to edit it after. So I guess I am going to use this way, as waiting for Alteryx to improve the SharePoint tools is just wasting our time.