Render to Excel

[eswartz]

I'm using the render tool in order to get scripts to output in a format that is more visually pleasing. This includes adding a header, date run, tab description, and the period for which the script is being run. Overall, the reports look good, however, I'm running into issues with the data not being able to sum when opening the actual excel output. In particular, I'm looking at the amount column of the output (column S). It seems as though half of the data in the column is being formatted as a text and the other half is being formatted a number. I attached three files:

1. Render issue.yxzp - This is and excerpt from the full script. I have the results being export directly to excel and also being export using the render tool

2. Sample Export (good) - This is the excel output not using the render tool. Column S appropriately sums.

3. Sample Export (Bad) - This is the excel output using the render tool. Column S does not sum appropriately.

I'm looking for any comments as to what I may be missing here.

[patrick_digan]

@eswartz In case you haven't gotten to the bottom of it, try increasing the report size from 18 x 11 to something ridiculous like 50 x 11 in your render tool and see if that alleviates the issue. I suspect it's just an issue with the size of the field messing things up. This issue really makes working with the render tool difficult.

[Qiu]

@eswartz 

After some tests, I will agree with @patrick_digan .

I guess this something, rare but acutally Alteryx is not good at.

When you specify the layout size, Alteryx will just to lay all the contents all over the layout, where we actually need a dynamic fit function.

30" width seems to be somehow good fit layout though.

Would be possible for you to consider using the "Preserve formatting" option, to output the result to pre-formatted Excel?

[eswartz · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the input. I played around with this a little and ended up fixing the issue with a data cleanse tool prior to rendering. Its strange that this worked given that the entire column was from the same source (the ERP system). @QIU, I may take a look at the preformatted excel options as well as that might be a better option when it comes to formatting excel sheets of different sizes within the same workbook. The reporting options is definitely an area that could use some work.