Alteryx Designer Desktop Ideas

in our organization people are moving away from network drives to BOX for file repository and they needs to use to connect to BOX using Alteryx as an Input and Output platform where they should be able to access files to read and write. 

Currently few of the users are able to use the BOX as a repository using BOX Sync tool (Map BOX as a network drive) but that is not at all useful when they try to save into a gallery and run or schedule on the gallery. A connector for BOX will be of great help. 

I think I'm liking the new UI, but I think it's necessary to bring back save, undo and re-do buttons....

1. Frequent saving of workflows is crucial and not everyone uses keyboard shortcuts

2. The ability to undo (lots) of changes is a key part of iterating and rapidly building workflows in Alteryx and again not everyone uses keyboard shortcuts to do this.

Looks like there's potentially space to add this to the right of 'help' (I suspect this might be technically quiet difficult) or to the left of 'run', 'schedule' and 'active documents' as seen in the image below.

Out of interest, where has the 'documents' terminology come from?

Hello all,

In help, we can read that :
https://help.alteryx.com/current/designer/write-data-db-tool

Update/Delete is currently only supported for SQL Server ODBC connections.

 I don't know about you but SQL Server is well used in transactional workload but in analytics... well... I have only used once in several dozens of context !

Maybe it would be cool to make it work on many more database?

Best regards,

Simon

In a similar vein to the forthcoming enhancement of being able to disable a specific output tool, my idea is to have the inverse where you can globally disable all outputs and then enable specific ones only. This should help reduce the number of clicks required/avoid workarounds using containers to obtain this functionality and allow users to be very specific in which outputs run and don't run as required.

Very often, I used a container to make notes about certain parts of the workflow. Some of the comments that I created are pretty long. Could the user have the possibility to have at least rows for the title of the container?

I have created a screen to show what I have in mind. Potentially users could have the ability to turn this option on or inside the container?

I find it extremely annoying having to individually disable/enable control containers in a workflow.  It would be nice if there was a way to select all control containers that I want to disable/enable and then be able to right click and do it quickly in one motion.  This would save me a lot of time when working with 10+ control containers.

After using the Text to Columns tool, I generally find myself using a Select tool to get rid of the original field that I split up. Could an option be added in the config to automatically delete this field once it is split to columns?

Allow for setting universal DATA SIZE configuration.  ESPECIALLY on V_WString!!   If you want all your V_WString to be 5096, you can set it. If you want all your fixed decimal values to be 12.4 you can set that.  You can set your own values for a workflow or under advanced setting perhaps you set up your own default values that will be used across all work flows. 

At MINIMUM, change the 1,073,741,823 on V_WString to something semi reasonable. That size won't even fit in a Snowflake table. 

Many users will probably follow best practice style guides with Alteryx to use comment boxes under tools to describe in detail what is happening with these tools - such as this one shared by @BenMoss.

However a limitation of this is the comment boxes do not move with the tools, so if you have a well documented workflow but then need to add a new tool, you need to adjust all the spacing and re-align the tools, which with a large workflow can be time consuming. 

Therefore the improvement would be to have an ability to lock comment boxes to individual tools (similar to a group function in Office).

Currently : the "Label" element in the Interface Designer Layout View is a single line text input.

Why could it be impoved : the "Label" element is often used to add a block of text in an analytical application interface. And adding a block of text in a single line text input is **staying polite** quite the struggle.

Solution : make this single line text input a text box just like the formula editor.

I surprisingly couldn't find this anywhere else as I know it's been discussed in person on many occasions.

Basically the Formula tool needs to be smarter in many ways, but this particular post focuses on the Data Type component.

The formula tool, should not always default to V_String as the data type when entering data or a formula into the formula tool, it should look at the data type and estimate the most likely option.

I know there are times where the logical type might not be consistent in all fields, but the Data Preview and the Function of the formula should be used to determine the most likely option.

E.G. If I type a number or a date directly into the formula tool, then Alteryx should be smart enough to change the data type from the standard V_String to Int, Double or date.

This is an extension to the ideas posted here:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Tab-from-Select-Column-to-Enter-Expression-H...

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Formula-tool-data-type-should-be-prominent/i...

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Alteryx-11-formula-tool-default-data-type/id...

I've seen this question before and have run into it myself.  I'd like to see a new tool that would allow a developer (of a workflow) to choose a path of logic based upon criteria known only during the execution of a module.

If LEFT INPUT Count of records < 10,000 THEN Path1 (e.g. use a calgary join)

ELSE Path 2 (e.g. use a standard join)

endif

Thanks,

Mark

I love this tool,  but think it would be improved by including an option to create a column per delimiting character.  This could be added in the number of columns selector box.  In the case where 1 row has more delimiters than another, null columns can be created.  Without this option you have to Regex count the delimiters, select the max and then embed the Text to columns tools in a macro and then pass the max columns as a param.  Would be nice to resolve all this in the main tool.

Thanks, nick

Alteryx Designer is slow when using In-DB tools.

We use Alteryx 2019.1 on Hive/HortonWords with the Simba ODBC Driver configured with SSL enabled.

Here is a compare In-DB / in Memory : 

We found that Alteryx open a new connection for each action : 

- First link to joiner = 1 connection.

- Second ling to joiner = 1 connection.

- Click on the canevas = 1 connection.

Each connection take about 2,5 sec... It really slow down the Designer : 

Please, keep alive the first connection instead of closing it and creating a new one for each action on the Designer.

Hello all,

According to wikipedia :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Join_(SQL)

CROSS JOIN returns the Cartesian product of rows from tables in the join. In other words, it will produce rows which combine each row from the first table with each row from the second table.[1]

Example of an explicit cross join:

SELECT *
FROM employee CROSS JOIN department;

Example of an implicit cross join:

SELECT *
FROM employee, department;

The cross join can be replaced with an inner join with an always-true condition:

SELECT *
FROM employee INNER JOIN department ON 1=1;

For us, alteryx users, it would be very similar to Append Fields but for in-db.

Best regards,

Simon

Enable files as inputs to Alteryx that have been protected with either Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)

From: Alteryx Support <support@alteryx.com>
Sent: 04 February 2022 22:43
To: candice.darcybryant@alteryx.com
Cc: Sundaramoorthy, Nishanth-XT <nishanth.sundaramoorthy@ubs.com>; clientsvcs@alteryx.com; Bignell, Nicholas <nicholas.bignell@ubs.com>; chiggins@alteryx.com; Jaganathan, Prasanth-Ram <prasanth-ram.jaganathan@ubs.com>
Subject: [External] Case #00528349 - Fw: Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) [ ref:_00DE0JJZ4._5002R1On7Ru:ref ]

Hi Candice,

Thanks for reaching out. At this juncture, formal validation of data sources with AIP or MIP applied has not been conducted. Coincidentally, earlier this week, another user submitted an inquiry pertaining to Sensitivity Labels of MIP. They had observed that files with their organization's "Confidential" label applied were unable to be input within workflows.

Similar to password protected or encrypted files, Sensitivity Labels (and other AIP/MIP implementations) may be configured in a manner that prevents drivers (e.g. Excel) of Designer from reading the file. For any incompatibility that's observed within data sources with AIP or MIP applied, it's recommend to submit an Idea as to the Designer application supporting the scope of these implementations. Our Product and Engineering Teams actively monitor Ideas to help ensure we're delivering the best product experience to our users.

Thanks for writing in.

Best,

–Josh
Sr. Customer Support Engineer | Alteryx
 

You may be selected to participate in a short feedback survey. Any comments regarding your experience will help to ensure we're delivering the best support. Thanks!

--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: Candice D'Arcy-Bryant [candice.darcybryant@alteryx.com]
Sent: 2/4/2022 1:59 AM
To: clientsvcs@alteryx.com
Cc: nishanth.sundaramoorthy@ubs.com; nicholas.bignell@ubs.com; chiggins@alteryx.com; prasanth-ram.jaganathan@ubs.com
Subject: Fw: Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)

Hi Support,

Please could you provide the options we have for files protected with either Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) to be used as inputs to Alteryx?

Please let us know if you require additional information.

Many thanks,

Candice D’Arcy-Bryant  

Strategic Customer Success Manager | +44 (0) 7872 959 067 

ca?ndice.darcybryant@alteryx.com | alteryx.com

Upcoming Out of Office:

February 07-11, 21-25

*******************************************************************************************************************

Alteryx UK Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 08806138.  Its registered office is located at 5 New Street Square, London EC4A3TW.  

This email and any files transmitted are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information.  Any unauthorized use or disclosure is prohibited.  If you have received this email in error and are not an intended recipient, please contact the sender and remove it from your system.

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From: Bignell, Nicholas <nicholas.bignell@ubs.com>
Sent: 03 February 2022 10:15
To: Candice D'Arcy-Bryant <candice.darcybryant@alteryx.com>
Cc: Sundaramoorthy, Nishanth-XT <nishanth.sundaramoorthy@ubs.com>; Jaganathan, Prasanth-Ram <prasanth-ram.jaganathan@ubs.com>; Craig Higgins <chiggins@alteryx.com>
Subject: RE: Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)

Hi Candice.

Seems there is an internal programme to implement this.

I have been contacted by three teams so far in the IB,  IB FX trading and IB Operations and IB Risk management.

In terms of potential impact it could be bank wide, but seems to be starting with the IB since November last year.

The program site (called DRM internally) states:

The Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution helps us manage data more effectively by putting a 'digital lock' on highly sensitive files. This means that even when a file is lost by accident, the external person who finds it cannot access its contents. These DRM classified and protected files can still be accessed and edited internally by UBS employees.

After a file has been classified according to its level of sensitivity DRM will automatically encrypt files if they are classified as 'confidential' or 'strictly confidential'. The classification and protection of a file can be set manually, or is automatically set for downloads of reports from applications that contain sensitive information or for users that have access to CID from specific applications (see details in the DRM guideline).

DRM is available globally in UBS.

Thanks Nick

From: Candice D'Arcy-Bryant <candice.darcybryant@alteryx.com>
Sent: 03 February 2022 09:32
To: Bignell, Nicholas <nicholas.bignell@ubs.com>
Cc: Sundaramoorthy, Nishanth-XT <nishanth.sundaramoorthy@ubs.com>; Jaganathan, Prasanth-Ram <prasanth-ram.jaganathan@ubs.com>; Craig Higgins <chiggins@alteryx.com>
Subject: [External] Re: Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)

Hi Nick,

Yes, I'm enquiring internally and will get back to you as soon as I have some information.

In the meantime, it would be good to understand:

• Who is impacted by this issue?
• What the impact is?
• Where in the business this is being felt the most?
• How many users / workflows are affected by this?
• When did this first start to affect users / workflows?

Many thanks,

Candice D’Arcy-Bryant  

Strategic Customer Success Manager | +44 (0) 7872 959 067 

ca?ndice.darcybryant@alteryx.com | alteryx.com

Upcoming Out of Office:

February 07-11, 21-25

*******************************************************************************************************************

Alteryx UK Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 08806138.  Its registered office is located at 5 New Street Square, London EC4A3TW.  

This email and any files transmitted are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information.  Any unauthorized use or disclosure is prohibited.  If you have received this email in error and are not an intended recipient, please contact the sender and remove it from your system.

*******************************************************************************************************************

From: Bignell, Nicholas <nicholas.bignell@ubs.com>
Sent: 03 February 2022 08:48
To: Candice D'Arcy-Bryant <candice.darcybryant@alteryx.com>
Cc: Sundaramoorthy, Nishanth-XT <nishanth.sundaramoorthy@ubs.com>; Jaganathan, Prasanth-Ram <prasanth-ram.jaganathan@ubs.com>
Subject: Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)

Hi Candice

Can you investigate what options we have for users that want use files as inputs to Alteryx that have been protected with either Azure Information Protection (AIP) or Microsoft Information Protection (MIP)

Thanks Nick

ref:_00DE0JJZ4._5002R1On7Ru:ref

Hello,

Enhancement of 'IN' functionality (ie. in Filter tool), so using range instead of citing particular values for example:
instead [ID] IN (1,2,3,52,53,54,100,101,102) something like that [ID] IN (1-3,52-54,100-102).

It would be great if we could add example workflows to our macros, accessible in the same way as from the original tools (example hyperlink shown after single-clicking on a tool in the tool palette or when searching in the search bar).

There is a post on how to do it for custom tools How to add an example link in the custom tool (alteryx.com). The way described there has limitations and does not seem to work on macros: I was able to get the link to show up, but nothing happens when I click.

My suggestion, make it easy to add an example workflow to a macro, like it is to change the logo or add a help link.

Formula Tool --> Functions --> Operators list

The operator titles for the two comment functions are too similar, the difference cannot be determined unless checking the hover text.

Can the title for /* Comment */ be adjusted to make it more clear that it is for block or multi-line usage?

I didn't understand the difference until I saw this post on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7165816592063266817/

/* Comment */ --> /* Block Comment */   |   /* Multi-line Comment */