Sustanaibility of the workflow

[Piera86]

Hi everyone, 

this is my first Message and I am also quite new to Alteryx. I do have a question for all of you related to the sustainability of the workflow. I give you the background:

- I joined a company 2 months ago

- they are doing E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G manually

- I started to created macro and in the same time I discover Alteryx

- the process I was able to perform with the macro can be easily performed with Alteryx with another impressive amount of time saved. 

My questions are:

once the workflow is set, is there a way I can lock it so (for instance) another user can only access to alteryx and link the new input file and take the output file without having the chance to change anything in the workflow? 

I hope it is clear, if it is not, please let me know and I will give you more info as needed. 

thanks for your support

P. 

[joshuaburkhow]

Yes, you can encrypt the file. Just make sure you understand how it works. Very important to add your serial # into it so that you can get into it later: 

https://help.alteryx.com/2018.2/ModuleEncryption.htm#:~:text=Workflows%20(including%20Analytic%20App....

[PhilippK]

Hi @Piera86 ,

welcome to the Community and happy to hear about your success with Alteryx!

Regarding your question:

1.) I recommend that you build an Analytical App (graphical interface, which you can build on top of your workflow):

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Interactive-Lessons/tkb-p/interactive-lessons/label-name/Creating%2...

As a result, you could give the end user only the option to select the data input and consume the data output.

2.) you then need to provide this Analytical App to the end user. For this you have two options:

a) Ideally you use the Alteryx Server as a single source of truth with a dedicated user, right and version management of your Analytical Apps/Workflows

b) in case you and your colleagues are only using the Alteryx Designer, then you can send them the Analytical App as a file. When they doubleclick on it, they only see the graphical interface (where they can only select the input and consume the output). However, if they do not doubleclick on it, but open it via the Alteryx Designer, they see the technical workflow behind it and could change it.

To prevent them to make changes to the workflow, you could encrypt the workflow/Analytical App via Options > Advanced Options > Encrypt Workflow.

Your users will still be able to run the app, but they won't be able to open the underlying workflow/Analytical App.

Is this the solution you where looking for?

Best regards

Phil

[Piera86]

Hi Phil,

thanks for your input I am going to try this solution and I will let you know. 

Just one more question, I already open Interface designer, but it seems I cannot click on anything, do you know why? 

thanks a lot

Piera

[Piera86]

Hi Joshua, 

i am going to encrypt as part of the solution and see how it goes, I will give you a feedback as soon this is completed. 

thanks
Piera

[PhilippK]

Hi @Piera86 ,

probably because your workflow is still a normal .yxmd

You need to save it as a macro first.

I recommend that you go through the interactive academy lesson:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Interactive-Lessons/tkb-p/interactive-lessons/label-name/Creating%2...

Best regards

Phil

[Piera86]

Hi Phil, 

it worked perfectly. thanks for the suggestions. 

The interactive academy lessons are really well done. 

In two weeks, I will be able to published in the server and share it with the team. 

thanks a lot

[PhilippK]

Very nice, congrats! 🙂