Updating credentials within Alteryx schedules

[pchandran]

I am in a situation where I need some help. We follow SOX regulations and unfortunately cannot get a service account and so we are using our own credentials while scheduling the workflows. There are at least 100+ schedules out there in Gallery right now. With the credentials getting expired every 60 days, I really would like to get an option to update credentials for multiple schedules with a single update rather than going into each schedules to update schedules. Anyone else in similar situation? Is there a way to resolve this? Or if there is any workaround available?

[mbarone]

Hi @pchandran , I have a similar situation.  The way I handle it is to turn my scheduled workflows into batch macros, where you use a control parameter to update the password.  And then what actually gets scheduled is not the macro, but a workflow that has a YXDB with only one cell - your password.  That feeds into your macro which is actually your workflow.  And then, I have an app that I run to update that YXDB with the new password.  So when the time comes, I run the app which prompts me for the new password, and it updates the YXDB that feeds into the macro which is the scheduled job.  And then do the same for the other jobs (turn them into batch macros making use of that password YXDB).  It does mean you'll have to update all your jobs, but it's totally worth it in the long run.

I'm traveling the next several days, so if you can't make it work, let me know and I can send some screenshots when I return.

[mbarone]

Oh - and I actually have a separate job that pings the database every couple hours to run a very simple query and if it fails because the password expires, I get an email so I know when it's time to update the password without having to worry about watching the Calendar.

[spingili]

Hello @mbarone, I'm trying to do the same thing. Will you please provide screenshots so I can follow along?

[mbarone]

First step is to set up your workflow as a batch macro.  Take the input tool that connects to the database in question, and connect a couple action tools to it, one that updates the username, and one that updates the password.  Then connect those action tools back to individual control parameter tools:

When you save the workflow it'll automatically save as a batch macro since you have a control parameter tool.

Next step is to set up a YXDB with your current credentials:

And then start a new workflow where that YXDB feeds into the batch macro giving it the username and password:

At this point you run the workflow which will simply feed in the credentials and run the macro which is the actual workflow you started with.

Once you play with it a bit and get this part down and all set up, there's a few more steps (creating a module to ping the database every hour or day or whatever to let you know when the password expires; and then a simple app to quickly update your password).

[spingili]

Thank you so much for the detail.

[mbarone]

Sure