Alteryx + Tableau: Real-Time?

[LEXQ2005]

I'm the first one in my team to use Alteryx and Tableau to provide some business solutions. I will get a chance to present what I did to leadership. My manager suggests I say, "It allows people to be able to take the info real-time, drill down as needed." I have a question about if I can state "real-time"?

Here's the situation of my project: The original data is in an application. Currently, the way the app team provides to get the data is download from a website. I downloaded the data as Excel. However, the data from the app is not good enough. Business subject experts know there're many errors in data. So, I send the Excel to business subject experts. They make corrections and add data points that currently not in any system and send the Excel back to me. The final qualified data is saved in a shared folder. Alteryx Designer reads the Excel data in the shared folder and generates another Excel file saving in the same shared folder. Tableau live-connects to the Excel file Alteryx outputs.

So, in my mind, I don't think the final dashboards in Tableau are real-time. Because (1) manual data inputs by the subject experts due to poor data quality from the system; (2) I do not know Alteryx can generate live data. I think the best Alteryx can do is to set up a refresh schedule in its server.

I'm worrying that I'm telling a lie if I say as my manager suggested. But I may be limited by my current knowledge. Is that possible Alteryx+Tableau to generate a real-time data view? How to make it happen?

I was told that leadership does not want to hear about manual data work, everything automatic is what they want to hear, real-time is a positive word. I wanted to state, "regardless of the data source, the workflow in Alteryx and Tableau is automatic." My manager disapproved of this statement. Similar question: even we unavoidably need to get the subject expert to review and correct data, what needs to happen/what I can do to claim the whole data process is automatic and the final view in Tableau is real-time?

In addition, not concern about the future work I need to complete, based on the current situation of my data flow, what is the best statement to market my work and Alteryx and Tableau to leadership in 1~3 sentences?

[TrevorS]

Hello @LEXQ2005 
Thanks for posting to the Community!
For a use case like this, I would recommend getting in touch with your Alteryx sales rep, they can help provide you with some more direct assistance with determining how to approach some of these initial use cases.
Your license admin should be able to give you your sales rep info, or you can always email sales@alteryx.com and they can direct you to them!
Thanks,

TrevorS

[DawnDuong]

Hi @LEXQ2005 

not directly answering your question. But if worth it (and your manager approves) can highlight the areas that, for better or worse, should remain non-automated. Especially when this involves judgemental call.

secondly this can be an opportunity to turn the question into what should we change in the data structure/ collection so that it is more analytics-friendly.

dawn 

[dfurlow]

There are many ways to describe the situation of data that is not quite ready to be live.  The goal can be "real-time".  The progression of steps required to get to an authoritative combination of dataset and visual report will include access, quality, design, architecture, and security,  and should be communicated accurately to management hungry for "real-time" or "automation".  There would be little point in automating systematic inaccuracy or dysfunction.  Standards for what constitutes "real-time" or "automated" or "high quality" will help, but it requires ongoing practice, in conjunction with real users, to arrive at standards that support good decisions and strategy making.  I use "Near real-time" or "Just in time" as qualifiers for evolutionary processes that update data sources.   Users need to know what is up to date, and what may be considered "high quality".   Working with users, including managers, is key.  Framing this kind of development in terms of Data Governance normally resonates with managers.   They understand the concept of governance and how it is codified and evolves in different areas of business.  Data is another asset in which to invest, in order to deliver value and return on that investment.  Acknowledging the goal, and the position of the organisation in relation to the goal is a great starting point.  If you have Tableau, and you have Alteryx, you are well on  your way to building data capacity that enables high quality automation that leads to just in time INSIGHT.  Be honest about where things are, and where you think they should go next.   Good luck!