I believe Alteryx is a powerful tool that enables users to solve business challenges in a scalable and efficient way. It can deliver significant value to organizations. For instance, early in my career as a developer, I helped a company save over 100 hours each month by streamlining a single process.
Correct Implementation = Full Alteryx Potential
Implementing Alteryx correctly is key, so I’ll point out a few typical errors you should avoid.
Actions Required for Proper Alteryx Implementation
- Identify team members with technical skills and knowledge to become Alteryx specialists.
- Free up their schedule by sharing part of their responsibilities with others in the team.
- Guarantee effective training by hiring external Alteryx trainers or directing them to complete the Getting Started Learning Path in the Alteryx Academy. If you need help, feel free to contact us. At Data Pal, we have trained +3500 satisfied participants, and we are committed to delivering the highest quality service to our customers.
- Guide them to the Alteryx Community, where they’ll find many valuable resources and experienced Alteryx users.
- Look for the quick wins and take advantage of them. When you find a chance to quickly implement a solution with significant rewards, go for it.
- Set rules that your team agrees to follow, where the standards and procedures are clearly defined.
Benefits of Proper Alteryx Implementation
Pay Attention to the Folder Structure
Restructuring your files is a smart time investment that will pay off when you need to find older resources quickly. I’ve attached an example of a folder structure for reference, but be sure to adapt it according to your team’s specific needs.
Remove any unnecessary files and archive older ones. Always ensure you keep the most recent version of your work.
Informative Headings with Numerical Order
Use numbers and a proper naming convention that indicate what each workflow does. For large teams managing multiple workflows, this ensures smoother maintenance.
Comments, Annotations, Tool Containers
By making good use of Comment tools and annotations, everyone will understand the analyst’s logic in the workflow. It will also improve overall clarity and provide essential guidance when revisiting past projects.
Using Colours
It’s a good idea to choose a straightforward color system that your team can consistently follow to keep everything in order.
Creating Templates
An Alteryx workflow template is the key to enhancing productivity! You can design templates with:
- custom company colors for title bars and metadata comment boxes,
- a standardized input and output structure within a container,
- pre-selected Workflow Configuration settings.
Our team has created and tested a template designed to support you and your colleagues in your Alteryx experience. You can download our free Alteryx workflow template here: Free Alteryx Workflow Template Here
We’re confident that our workflow template will benefit your projects and simplify the work of your data analytics team. Feel free to customize it to suit your needs.
Want to learn how to save Alteryx templates? Check out the video below!
In the Save as Template dialog, you can add metadata such as Owner, Name, Description, and Image. When you choose Use Template, Alteryx generates a copy of the original template and opens it as a new, unsaved workflow, macro, or app. After making updates, don’t forget to save your project.
Alteryx saves a template to this directory by default: C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Local\Alteryx\Templates
You can modify the workflow template directory by using the 3-dot menu in Override System Settings to navigate to your preferred location.
As another option, you can save multiple templates at once by adding them directly to the designated directory, making sure they have the proper file extensions. Any items without the correct extensions won’t show up under File > Templates.
You can:
- make updates to an existing template if needed,
- add or update template metadata at any point,
- delete it.
The template file types:
- YXTD (Workflow Template)
- YXTC (Macro Template)
- YXTZ (Analytic App Template)
Add Your Procedure to the Workflows
This approach simplifies keeping things up-to-date and saves time searching for information. You can make use of the Comment tool or complete the Meta Info tab in the Workflow – Configuration. Add details like documentation links, version numbers, descriptions, and the author’s name, which can be particularly valuable for larger teams.
When Your Solution Is Ready
Build Automated Tests
Using automated tests is an effective way to reduce the risk of errors. Analyze past errors and predict potential ones before they happen.
Thanks to the implementation of checks, you can:
How to test your workflow?
For this, you have the option to use one of the two tools provided below.
When creating your workflows in Alteryx, remember to follow best practices to ensure everything runs smoothly!
At Data Pal, we’re dedicated to helping you make the most of Alteryx. If you’d like us to assist with implementation and standardization, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here for you!
