User Interface

The Alteryx user interface consists of several components that can be moved, re-sized, reorganized, or closed. See Customize the User Interface.

The Workflow canvas is the area where you build a workflow. A workflow consists of a series of tools that perform different functions to process data. Relative paths to data sources are saved within the workflow so they can be shared with others via email or saved to a shared drive. A workflow is saved as a .yxmd file type.

Each workflow displays as a tab across the top of the workflow canvas:

  • An asterisk next to the workflow's name denotes unsaved changes.
  • To close one or more open workflows, right-click a workflow tab and select Close, Close All But This, or Close All.
  • To create a new tab group (when you have multiple workflows open), right-click a workflow tab and select New Horizontal Tab Group or New Vertical Tab Group. To revert to a single grouping, select Move to Next Tab Group or Move to Previous Tab Group.
  • To open the folder where your workflow is saved, right-click the workflow tab and select Open Containing Folder. You can use this option to open other workflows and files stored in the same location.

Start Here displays a helpful set of starter samples when Alteryx starts up. To change settings, see User Settings.

See Workflow Configuration, Build Workflows.

Search, which is located in the top right corner, searches Designer tools, Gallery items, Connect assets, Help content, and Community posts, and returns the top five results. Each category includes a link to more results. See Search.

Windows and common actions can be accessed from the main menu. See Main Menus.

The Tool Palette consists of tools organized into tool categories. To build a workflow, click a tool on the Tool Palette and drag it onto the workflow window. You can also add tools to a workflow by right-clicking the workflow window, selecting Insert, and choosing a tool from a list of tool category names.

To choose the tool categories and tools to display in the Tool Palette, click the Add/Remove Tools icon next to the categories. In the Configure Tool Palette window you can:

  • Select/Deselect tool categories on the left side of the window to show/hide categories on the tool palette.
  • Highlight a tool category on the left and select/deselect tools on the right side of the window to show/hide tools in the tool category.
  • Select a preconfigured Preset option.
  • Getting Started: Displays tools in the In/Out, Preparation, Join, and Transform tool categories.
  • Data Blending: Displays the Getting Started tools as well as the tools in the Parse, In-Database, Documentation, Data Investigation, Connectors, and Developer tool categories.
  • Spatial Analysis: Displays the Getting Started tools as well as the tools in the Parse, Reporting, Spatial, Address, Demographic Analysis, Behavior Analysis, and Calgary tool categories.
  • Developer: Displays the Getting Started tools as well as the tools in the Parse, In-Database, Documentation, Interface, Data Investigation, and Developer categories.
  • All: Displays all tools in all tool categories.
  • Custom: Displays the categories and tools you select to create a custom preset configuration.

To lock a tool category in place on the Tool Palette, right click the category and choose Pin Category. The Favorites tool category is pinned by default and any additional pinned categories display to the right of the Favorites. To unpin a tool category, right click on the tool category and choose "Unpin Category" or "Unpin All Groups" and the tool category will return to its original position in the Tool Palette.

Clicking a tool category name displays the tools within that category. To display the description of a tool, click the tool icon. Some tool descriptions include an Open Example link that you can click to open a workflow that demonstrates how to use the tool.

Click the gray star to the right of any tool to add it to the Favorites category. Favorite tools are indicated by a yellow star.

Right-click any tool to reveal options relevant to organizing the tool palette and tool usage.

Help: Shows the help page for the tool.

Add to Favorites: Adds the tool to the Favorites category. Click the gray star to the right of any tool to remove it from the Favorites category.

Open Example: Opens a workflow that demonstrates how to use the tool.

Open Macro: Opens the *.yxmc file for macro tools in a new tab on the workflow canvas. This displays for macro tools only.

See Tool Categories .

The Configuration window displays the configurations available for a selected tool or connection in the workflow, or for the workflow itself when nothing is selected. See Workflow Configuration, Tool Configuration, Connection Configuration.

The Results window displays the state of the data as it flows through each tool when a workflow is run. It also shows any messages or errors that occur, as well as links to output files that are created.

After you run a workflow, select a tool to display the tool's input and output anchors along the left side of the Results window. Click one of the anchors (either on the tool or within the Results window) to display the data results from that tool. Click from tool to tool to see how the data changes at each point in the workflow.

For all tools, except for the Browse tool, the data displayed in the Results window is limited to 1 MB for each anchor (string types are limited to the first 1,000 bytes).

See Results Window.

The Interface Designer allows you to customize an app or macro interface. You can reorder interface questions and actions, add elements, test values, and include content. See Interface Designer Window.

The Overview window provides a smaller representation of the workflow. For larger workflows, the Overview window can be used to pan around in the workflow canvas.

The rectangle in the Overview window displays the area in view in the workflow canvas, and the gray area indicates what is out of view.

To pan the workflow canvas, click and drag the rectangle in the Overview window from left to right.