Alteryx Designer Desktop Ideas

Currently, you have two choices for Auto Configure while working on workflows:

• Auto Configure switched on: After every change, the configurations (= columns) of tools are re-evaluated for the entire workflow (at least, this is how it feels like).
• Auto Configure switched off: Configuration of tools is only re-evaluated when pressing F5 (or when using the clipboard).

Pros and Cons of both:

• Auto Configure switched on:
  • Configuration in each tool is always accurate so that working on tools is straight forward.
  • Editing workflows gets annoyingly slow for complex workflows, especially when data sources from network locations or macros are used. Sometimes I have to wait a minute between two mouse clicks.
• Auto Configure switched off:
  • Editing workflows is faster (at least in theory).
  • I have to press F5 all the time (because I nearly always change output configuration of tools when working on workflows). Even after pressing F5, Alteryx does not always succeed in calculating the correct configuration of a tool.
  • Working with clipboard, loading, saving workflows is still slow.

I would love to have something in between all, kind of an intelligent Auto Configure with following features:

• F5 still starts full configuration evaluation.
• Configuration of input tools is frozen (unless F5 pressed) so that no network access is started during editing the workflow.
• Check for update of macro files is switched off (unless F5 pressed).
• After changing a tool configuration, either a flag is set that this tool was changed but no re-assessment of the workflow configuration is run (approach 1), or only downstream configuration is updated (approach 2). Whether approach 1 or 2 is started could be decided on various criteria: Number of downstream tools (or other measure of complexity), how many "change flags" according to approach 1 are already set, etc.
• If approach 1 was chosen: If you edit a tool which is downstream to another one for which the change flag is set, re-evaluate only the portion of the workflow between the previously changed upstream tool and the tool supposed to be edited.
• Using Clipboard should not invoke full re-configuration.
• Before saving a file, full re-configuration needs to be run (as already now).

This idea will add quite some complexity into the logic of Auto Configure but should have quite some potential to speed up editing workflows because network access and number of re-evaluated tools in each editing step will be reduced.

Hi everyone! I have been trying to find a way to do this without creating a new idea, but I have decided to make it an official 'Idea' to see if there is anyone else that might appreciate a feature like this (or has found there own way to do it!)

Do your workflows look like this...

but you wish they could look like this?

Well... they can with your help!

Okay, I might be crazy...but its worth a shot.

While I understand this is an extremely niche issue, in my experience, it can become very difficult to trace the data through unmanaged lines in large workflows. I think it will be great to cable manage canvas lines so workflows are easier to follow. Heck, while I am already at it, I think it we should all start calling these canvas lines cables... They don't carry electricity, but they sure do carry data!

Here is an example I created in Alteryx using select tools and containers:

Ability to color the connector lines to symbolize a path or data. This would help when you have multiple sources into a Join to determine that a path is still the same set of data when you have multiple paths created.

I am working with complex workflows which use multiple files as input, located on network drives. Input tools are Input Data, Directory, Wildcard Input, Wildcard XLSX Input (from CReW macros).

Regularly, I experience very slow Designer when working on the workflows, and slow progress when running the tools mentioned above, especially when working from home. Switching off Auto Configure did not really help because I the column list sometimes does not converge even after pressing F5 multiple times, and when actively working on workflows, I have to press F5 all the time...

In order to speed up both working on workflows and running the workflows, I would like to propose a function "Cache all File Inputs" which loads and caches all file inputs at once. To achieve this state, I now have Cache and Run workflow once per every file input.

Hello!
I like to annotate my workflows when finished, and it can be a bit of a pain to add more and more comment tools by searching for them, or going through the current right-click menu:

What would be nice is the option to right click anywhere on the canvas, and have the option of 'add comment', similar to how we have the option for 'add container' when selecting tools on the canvas.

Cheers!

Hi,

I would love it if; when I select cells/ columns or anything really, from the results window (see pic), that it shows me a number count for what I selected please.

Thank you! 😁

Hi 

I think its super frustrating not beeing able to search for dates, or date ranges in the result window.

Lets say I have a dataset with 2 dates, date picked up and date delivered.

Then I need to search broad in the result window, for a given date. With search in both coloumns.

Could we please have a simple specific date search, and maybe a from-to date? Like in the filter?


Or go all the way and look at excel date filter?

Kind regards

I can be picky about how my workflows are laid out.  Oftentimes, the connector between tools has a "mind of its own" as to what direction it goes and how it crosses other objects.  I'd like to see the ability to control the connector lines with "elbows" that can be positioned in custom locations and directions, like an MS Visio diagram. Alternatively, add a simple "pin" tool could be added to the canvas and it's only function is to take in and send out a connector line by defining the input and output location.  The input and output locations could be defined angularly/radial in degrees, for example.  Image attached below of existing workflow with a "troublesome" connector and the concept of "elbows" and "pins" added as an alternate control mechanism.  Both would be great!  :)

I have a use case where I am transitioning workflows to someone - 

One workflow leverages the outputs of one workflow as inputs in to another - it would be awesome if I could include a link on a tool or comment box that would automatically open the exact output tool. Right now I am taking pictures and mentioning the names of files and tool-ids. Seems like it would be an easier way. 

Would it be possible to have alteryx create the IAM user + password? If that's possible, we can create an IAM role that would allow you to assume this role.

Can alteryx create this type of user and assume our role?

If the tables in the config window has lots of rows, it is quite complicated to find those of interest. 

Please add a filter or search option (e.g. by the field name) to display only the relevant rows.

It would also be helpful to select or deselect multiple selected rows with one click.

Find an example from the "Select-Tool":

Would love to have the ability to connect S3 to alteryx using the AWS IAM role instead of needing an AWS access key/secret key.

IT will not hand out the Access/secret key so it would be great to connect to S3 without needing a password.

Please add in a feature to connect to S3 via AWS IAM roles.

Overview might be enhanced for example by adding to the side of the panel displaying a list of tools in the highlighted area or summarize how many tools are in the selected area.

Hello!
Just another QOL change from me today. 
When building a workflow - just for fun sometimes I like to make mistakes. It's never by accident I promise 😎

Now theoretically, if I did make a mistake, and put a tool in the wrong place (or want to refactor, or want to move a select earlier in the workflow etc), I would typically right click, cut and connect around, and then right click the connection I want to paste onto. This works fine, however, some users are unaware of it, and it can still be a bit of a pain.

What would be really nice, is if we could hit ctrl and click/drag a tool, to move it elevated of connections. I have attempted to create a couple of gifs to illustrate.

The current method of moving a tool within a workstream:

What I'd love, if you could hold ctrl + drag:

Cheers!
Owen

When we use search option it might be helpful to see also tool category where we can find searching tool.

Instead of 'Show Dprecated Tools' functionality more helpful and intuitive would be always display deprecated tools inside new tool category.

Hello Team,

I am working on the different Alteryx Models for my monthly and weekly reporting and reconciliations. Several times during recon and validation, I forgot to close the output file and run the Model, few of my Models take around 9-10mins to complete a 1 run, in that case, after10mins the Model kicks off the message - "Error: Output Data: Unable to delete Excel file", this wasted the whole running time. 

I suggest two Idea options - 

The first Idea is, it would be great if you provide the functionality to overwrite the output file manually, for example - if the user forgets to close the output file and run the Model, at the end when Alteryx Model generates the output, It will ask a user to whether you need to overwrite the existing file or not. In that way, we save the running time and effort of the user. It's a very general mistake any user doing while working on the Models - forget to close the output file.

The Second Idea is, It would be helpful for users if Alteryx Model provide a message in the first place when the run kicked off - that output file is opened please close it. It will save enough time from the user prospect 

Thanks,

Mayank
 

I think adding a highlight color option to the fields in the select tool would be a helpful field organization feature. Many times I am appending data/joining data, and I would like to visually separate the original fields from the appended ones, and then sort on the highlight colors chosen--and maintain these colors through the workflows. For example my raw data customer fields would be highlighted in blue: ID, First Name, Last Name, Address and my appended ones in, say, yellow: (marketing fields such as Dwelling Type, Household Composition, etc). Then it would allow to easily sort and visualize by append through the workflows.