Alteryx Gallery App and accessing UNC output / more robust formatting for XLSX files

[cjclark]

Hey All. 

I am currently working through the issue of having xlsx report files that are fed via dynamic user input and live SQL data. 

The formatting capabilities of the report suite are fairly limited. My thought was to use existing templates (saved via UNC on a network drive) with formatting already completed and to then use the. xlsx overwrite on a specific range function to build an already formatted reports. 

What I am finding is that when I have gallery writing to UNC paths, the gallery save output feature doesn't include these files to be able be downloaded on the front end of the gallery app. 

I am wondering if there is some work around to this? I thought I had solved my report formatting woes. I am not sure if python or scripting tools would allow for the gallery front end to save down these files for users. 

[fmvizcaino · Accepted solution]

Hey @cjclark ,

I totally agree with everything you just said about the reporting tools, and fortunately, there is a workaround! 😁

Since your question and solution are rather advanced, I assume you will easily get the idea. 

After saving the data in your template, you can combine the blob input (load the file in a binary column) and the blob output (save the file without UNC - similar to an output data tool).

With the blob output tool, you will have the same option to show the files for the users to download.

This blog discusses a more advanced use case, but the idea is included there. https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Engine-Works/Excel-Templates-with-Blob-Tools-and-Control-Containers...

With this idea, you can keep your template intact and generate copies of the template to be overwritten with data.

Best,

Fernando Vizcaino

[cjclark]

Fernando,

Major props... this did exactly what I needed! Unfortunately I am still on 2022.1 for the time being, but I think I can make it work without control containers. 

Thanks so much. 

Cheers