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Render Tables and then use field not in table to split by sheet or workbook

hellyars
13 - Pulsar

This is a render to Excel question using the reporting tools.

 

I need to create 400 tables with specific formatting.  

 

I created an iterative macro that takes the 1-N records needed to create an individual table and creates the desired format.  The # of columns for each table is the same, but the # of rows can vary.  

 

After the iterative macro, I use a Render Tool to output to a single Excel sheet.   All 400 tables render to the same sheet.   But, I don't want them to render to the same sheet.  I want to use a field not used in the rendered tables to split by sheet or as a last resort split by workbook.

 

I have very little experience with reporting tools.   I suspect my problem might be compounded by my use of an iterative macro to create each table first.  Should I have used a batch macro instead?

18 REPLIES 18
hellyars
13 - Pulsar

@patrick_digan  Yes.  The Render Tool can now Group into Separate Reports using ASSMNT.  Worksheets would be better. Is there still a way to get this?

 

Worst case, this will have to do.  At least it works.   It would be nice if the Render Tool had an options to Separate by Sheet for Excel outputs. 

patrick_digan
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@hellyars Immediately before your render tool, are you able to use a layout tool with the section breaks? I see your post about the issues you were having with the layout tool, but I'm still unsure of how your render tool is configured. Can you post a pic of your render tool?

hellyars
13 - Pulsar

@patrick_digan  Layout and Render Tool configs below (in the wrong order).  

 

 

Screen Shot 2021-02-17 at 10.16.32 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-02-17 at 10.16.56 AM.png

 

hellyars
13 - Pulsar

@patrick_digan 

 

I tried.  The section break approach seems to work only if you have 1 data (table) source.  Since my table is created from 3 table sources it wants to breakup each element of my table by section -- breaking each table into 3 sheets. 

patrick_digan
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@hellyars perfect. So it sounds silly, but you should add another layout tool after your current layout tool, select the vertical with section breaks option, and there you should be able to select your ASSMNT field as the section name. Then if you want it all in 1 excel output file on different tabs, don't group by in the render tool and just save to a single file (and the section names should put it on the separate sheets)

hellyars
13 - Pulsar

@patrick_digan LOL. I was just playing with that approach.  

This is the setup for the 2nd Layout and Render Tool.  This breakouts the tables by ASSMNT and titles the sheet correctly.  But, it there appears to be an anomaly.   The tables on each sheet are stacked on top of each other.  It will not insert a line or whitespace (row) between records.  Alteryx giveth and taketh.  

Screen Shot 2021-02-17 at 10.45.41 AM.png

 

Screen Shot 2021-02-17 at 10.46.16 AM.png

hellyars
13 - Pulsar

If Alteryx will not add whitespace, I can brute force by adding a 4th table element that is just blank that sits above my H1 title element.  Basically, you just create a title element that replaces the values with "".

patrick_digan
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@hellyars +1 for brute force lol

hellyars
13 - Pulsar

@patrick_digan Thanks for all your help yesterday. 

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