User Settings

The Defaults tab lists the Alteryx default runtime settings. The System Settings section shows settings configured in System Settings.

• Override System Settings: Select to configure settings different from settings configured in System Settings.
  • Default Dedicated Sort/Join Memory Usage: Define the minimum amount of memory the Engine will use to perform sort and join operations in a workflow. Generally, this value should not be changed. For more information on how Alteryx uses memory, see Memory Use.
  • Default Temporary Directory: Displays the path to the location where temporary files used in workflow processing are saved.
  • Logging Directory: Displays the path to the location where output logs produced during workflow processing are saved.
  • Run Designer x64 at a Lower Priority: Select to run other memory intensive applications at the same time as Alteryx. This setting impacts workflow processing speeds in Alteryx.
• Collect and display data profile information: Enables data profiling in the Browse tool. Deselect to disable data profiling features. If disabled, the Browse tool will not display data profile information. This will not improve runtime performance. See Browse Tool.
• Show Getting Started window at startup: Select to display the Getting Started window when Alteryx starts. The window displays a tutorial and recently opened workflows, and gives you the option to create a new workflow.
• Show Learning Guide at startup: Select to display the Learning Guide when Alteryx starts. The Learning Guide displays a list of resources for learning Alteryx.
• Pop Up Dialog at Completion of Workflow: Select to display a notification when a workflow finishes running. The workflow status is always displayed in the Results window.
• Open Alteryx files as new workflow tabs in same Designer window: Select this option so that when Alteryx file types (.yxmd, .yxmc, .yxwz, .yxzp, .yxi) are double-clicked, they open as a new workflow tab within an existing Designer instance.
• Send Alteryx Tool Usage as Part of the Customer Experience Improvement Program: Deselect this option to opt out of sending usage data to Alteryx. When enabled, Alteryx collects usage data each time a workflow is run or Search is used. This information is used to plan future releases and prioritize fixes and features.

  Deselecting this option will not prevent your IT department from collecting usage data.

  Alteryx usage data

  • Sample workflow data: Includes the data and time the sample workflow was run, the version of Alteryx running the workflow, the serial number of the computer or server running Alteryx, and the name of the sample workflow.
  • Workflow data: Includes the same data collected for sample workflows and also the name of the tools in the workflow, the number of times a tool is used in the workflow, and tool connection data in the workflow.
  • Search data: Includes the terms on which users search and which results were clicked.

On the Dataset Defaults tab, you can set your default datasets for all tools that require an installed dataset. When the tool uses a dataset, the dataset you selected will be used. If you have not installed a dataset, you will not have an option to select.

• Behavior Analysis: Select the default dataset to be used by tools in the Behavior Analysis category. See Tool Categories.
• Demographic Analysis: Select the default dataset to be used by tools in the Demographic Analysis category. Tool Categories.
• Drivetime: Select the default dataset to be used by tools that calculate drivetimes. See Distance Tool, Find Nearest Tool, and Trade Area Tool.
• Geocoder: Select the default dataset to be used when geocoding. See Street Geocoder Tool and US Geocoder Tool.
• Reference Base Map: Select the default base map for mapping. See Map Input Tool, Browse Tool, Report Map Tool.
• Default Location for Map Input/Question: Click Set Location to position the map bounds. This is the default view for the Map Input Tool.

The Canvas tab lists the settings that control the appearance of items on the canvas including the workflow background, tool connections, and annotations.

The Advanced tab lists settings related to memory usage which affects program performance.

• Undo Levels: Type or click to set the number of actions Alteryx remembers and allows you to undo. The default value is 10. Increasing the value negatively impacts performance.
• Disable Auto Configure: Select this option to manually configure tools in a workflow. With this option selected, press the F5 key to manually refresh tool configurations. This option may optimize performance.
• Display XML in Properties Window: Select to view the XML of the configuration for each tool in a workflow.
• Display Asset Management in Properties Window: Select to view the file dependencies or assets for each tool in a workflow.

On the Macros tab, you can create a repository of macros and set a default location to save macros. Alteryx displays the macros in the Tool Palette for you to use in building workflow.

Each macro must have a unique name.

To add a path to the repository:

1. Click .
2. In Category Name, type a name. The default name is Macros.
3. Click to browse to the location where you save macros on your computer or a network.

Any macro .yxmc file in the selected location will display in the tool category on the Tool Palette.

Sub-folders in a search path cannot be added individually if their parent folder already exits in the Macros repository.

To set a default repository location:

1. Click the repository search path in the list.
2. Click Set as Default. An asterisk (*) displays next to the default repository.

The Localization tab lists settings related to internationalization and localization, including language and measurement conversion.

Code page: Select the code page to be used in encoding your tool set in Designer. See Code Pages.

Default Distance Units: Select the default units for measuring distance. Spatial tools use the selected unit of measure.

Use the following options to customize your Help settings.

• Source: Click to select the source of Help. By default, Auto-Detect displays online Help when internet is available and displays offline Help when internet is not available.
• Language: Click to select the language used to display the online Help.