Possible to write out to an excel file and make a pivot table?

[Ben_Naylor]

Hello,

I am very new to alteryx, I've only been using it for about a week and a half, so apologies if this is obvious. Is it possible for alteryx to write out data to excel, build a pivot table based on that data and then use that pivot table later on in the workflow? This seems like a lot for alteryx to be doing all on its own and I haven't been able to find anything close to what I want so I just figured I'd ask here to see if any of y'all know how to do it, if it is in fact possible. 

[estherb47 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Ben_Naylor 

You can write out to Excel using the Output Data tool. Be sure to give the sheet a name in the Table dialog box.

To keep using the data in Alteryx, just stream out another tool from the same tool that streams into the Output Data tool.

If you want rows and column headers in your pivot table, the Alteryx tool to use is Crosstab. If you need just row headers, then I'd recommend the Summarize tool. Both have an output arrow, so you can keep going from there.

Let me know if this helps.

Cheers!

Esther

[Ben_Naylor]

So if I use those functions, alteryx would be able to create the excel sheet and the pivot table? 

[Ladarthure · Accepted solution]

Hi @Ben_Naylor,

if I understand you well, you want to:

1 - output data in excel

2 - in excel make a pivot table

3 - use this pivot table in alteryx

I would suggest you to do it more like in this order

(1 - output data flat in excel if needed)

2 - do a pivot table in alteryx with the croos tab tool (in transform category)

3 - enjoy 🙂

or if you need to do manual transformations in between with the cross tab, just split into 2 different workflows?

Hope it helped!

[Ben_Naylor]

Awesome, I just did it and it worked perfectly thank you so much!