Challenge #110: Think Like a CSE...Reduce the manual inputs!

[WayneWooldridge]

 The solution to last week's Challenge has been posted here!

We are thrilled to present another Challenge from our “Think like a CSE” series, brought to you by our fearless team of Customer Support Engineers. Each month, the Customer Support team will ask Community members to “think like a CSE” to try to resolve a case that was inspired by real-life issues encountered by Alteryx users like you! This month we present the case of the hard-coded workflow.  

Below, we’ve provided the information that was initially available to the Customer Support Engineer who resolved the case. It’s up to you to use this information to put a solution together for yourself.

The Case: A client’s co-worker has built a workflow that returns a date range between a selected Date (Date1) and the date (Date2) that is x days prior to Date1, as well as all the dates between Date1 and Date2.  The workflow (attached to this post) is great!  It returns all the information she needs for her analysis in the format she wants.  The problem?  Running the workflow requires a cumbersome amount of hard-coding values.  She needs to manually update a Filter tool to select her date range: Ugh....I had to type this whole thing, and I have to change it every time I want to use a new set of dates!

and a Text Input tool to enter the number of days as a range (1 - x) prior to her selected date to find: I had to type every one of these numbers! What if I wanted to return much more than 7 days?

 There has to be a better way to get the data she wants!  

Explanation of the Problem:  The client would like the ability to dynamically select date ranges and the number of days (e.g. 5, not as a range) preceding the selected date.  Can this be done? 

Asset Description: The client has shared the workflow she uses, which includes a calendar selection macro (ClientWorkflow.yxzp). 

Bonus Question: Is there a way for each date from the date range selected (Date1) to be processed, one at a time?

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[NicoleJohnson]

My solution! (I might come back and tackle the Bonus Question too... who doesn't love a little Monday morning macro practice!?!)

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Cheers!

NJ

[LordNeilLord]

I decided that I didn't like my colleagues original workflow (a common issue) so I rebuilt it to use a few less tools...

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I'm not sure I understand what's being asked of the bonus question...if someone can clarify it...i'll give it a whirl.

@LordNeilLord

Part time Tableau, Part Time Alteryx. Full Time Awesome

[patrick_digan]

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I went with the Generate Rows tool. I was on the same page as @LordNeilLord

[ggruccio]

Like LordNeilLord, I also didn't understand the bonus question...

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I kept the basic structure of the workflow intact - converted to an analytical app.

[ChristineB]

@ggruccio @LordNeilLord...I think @WayneWooldridge is getting at a batch macro....but perhaps he can give some more clarity!

[PhilipMannering]

Similar to others. You can select which date formatted fields come through...which is a nice touch.

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My macroMy workflow

[estherb47]

If you're going the macro route, your macro might as well do everything for you. Took a similar approach to @patrick_digan and @LordNeilLord and just rebuilt the macro to generate dates with a simple user interface.

And, I'm finally current on the challenges again!!

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[AndyBate]

Complete

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[leesin]

Thanks!