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Adding a Pause Button to the Workflow

I'm not sure if this will ever be possible, but I know that it would greatly benefit me and I'm sure thousands of other users. In my work place I am constantly working in a conference room and at my desk. At my desk I am wired into an Ethernet connection while in the conference room I am wireless. When I start my workflows after working with my team in the conference room, I can't go back to my desk until the workflow is finished running because I am changing internet connections and I lose connection to the databases. With the pause button it would become possible to run a workflow and then change my internet without losing connection to the databases.

 

Another use for this would be while testing a workflow with a new tool. There are times I run a workflow that can take a few hours, but then I realize there is a mistake somewhere in my workflow, where the data hasn't reached yet. I think it would be very helpful to be able to pause the workflow and add the new tool in, while seeing results from tools it has already passed through.

 

But yet again this is just an idea that relates to me, I wonder what the rest of the community thinks.

9 Comments
joe_strellis
7 - Meteor
As well as having the play and stop button in think it would be useful to have a pause button.
mmancini
5 - Atom

I think this is a wonderful idea!!!

dweaverVFC
5 - Atom

 @

 

We have solved for this and also reduced the overall load on the network by moving to Amazon Work Spaces (AWS). I really like it because it allows me to kick off workflows that can run within the AWS instance while my physical computer is powered off, switching locations, etc.  I have kicked off workflows from my house, commuted to work, and had the data ready and waiting when I arrived at the office.  With the new Alteryx licensing you can swap between your local machine and your AWS instance, so you still have the option to work locally should the need arise.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Drew

StephenR
Alteryx
Alteryx
The Amazon Work Spaces solution only works if your IT lets you use it. A native solution would be the best option.
JoshKushner
12 - Quasar

This sounds like an excellent idea that will be resolved with the cache function planned for future versions. It will allow you to cache the results in your workflow up to a specific tool and build/test your workflow off those results.

 

I believe this will also let you "pause" your workflow by stopping it > caching after your inputs > then running your workflow again.

JPMelnitsky
7 - Meteor


Josh that's what I was thinking, now just have to get my company to move to 2018.2...

 

Thanks

RachelW
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)
Status changed to: Not Planned

Thanks for submitting this idea. We don't have adding this functionality planned in the next year. I hope the caching functionality that @JoshKushner mentioned helps in this situation. 

eltorr0
7 - Meteor

Cache helps, but would be great to have a pause feature so we can just continue off the current process/tool, instead of the last cache point.

TeePee
8 - Asteroid

Agree a "pause run" button/option would help me too.  But I will investigate the AWS workaround too - thanks!