Scheduled workflow fails, but can run manually

[johnweiss]

Application

A workflow runs a Windows .bat file.

The .bat file opens Excel with this command:

start "" /wait excel.exe /e /x /r "\\company.com\Libs\MyLibs.xlsb"

MyLibs.xlsb runs a VBA macro, which creates another new instance of Excel, with

Dim oIsoApp As Application
Set oIsoApp = New Application

VBA then instructs the new instance of Excel (oIsoApp) to open a worksheet, and resave it. 

We're using UNC pathing everywhere. 

Problem

This all works fine when the workflow is fired manually, but fails when run as a scheduled script. When run as a scheduled script, the final saveAs fails with 'can't find directory' error.  

User Context

IT configured our Alteryx server to run all its jobs as our service account. Here’s our alteryx system settings:

Here are the settings for the alteryx service that runs jobs:

On our gallery, it apparently calls this the local user (does that make sense?):
 

(i was unable to post this question in Designer forum)

[DavidP]

Hi @johnweiss 

Perhaps you've already done all this, but the way I would troubleshoot is to remote desktop onto the server and try the following:

1. check dependencies on the server, such as Excel installed, all folders are accessible, etc.

2. run the batch file (or the DOS command it contains) from the command line to double check that it works as expected

3. manually run the workflow from the Alteryx Designer instance that resides on the server

If all of these check out, it's back to the drawing board

[johnweiss]

Hi @DavidP. As stated in the title of this topic, it works manually. 

Thx!

[DavidP]

I was just checking whether you meant manually on your desktop or manually on the Alteryx Server

[johnweiss]

As mentioned in the question, "This all works fine when the workflow is fired manually". I assumed that means "on the Alteryx Server".

Is it possible to run an Alteryx workflow without running it on the Alteryx server?

Do you mean, the workflow can be run on a different machine?

Thx!

[italianbird]

Did you ever get resolution on this? I'm having the same issue.

[Felipe_Ribeir0]

@italianbird

this is old, but i had a similar issue here (being able to run a workflow manually through gallery, but not with schedule). Our particular problem was with AD user permissions to the data connection (the error was happening with a database connection in our case).

If connection works with manual but not scheduled, it’s usually because in order for scheduling to work, you need explicitly be added to connection.  In other words:
•  Local, manual – can be in shared studio
•  Schedule – the individual scheduling the workflow would need to be explicitly added to share list on connection

So, the solution was to ask the server admin to add the necessary users to the share list