Workflow Management

As part of workflow management, you can save the workflows you build in Designer for reuse or for sharing with other users in your company's private Server. You can also save workflows to the Alteryx Platform.

You can also manage existing workflows in your company's Server by opening them in Designer. From Designer, you can edit, save, and share these workflows back to Server. Server maintains previous versions of a workflow, so saving the revised workflow to your company's Server does not replace the previous version.

If you want to save and share a workflow along with its dependencies, such as files and connections, you can export them together as a .yxzp file. Like single file workflows, you can share exported workflows with others in Server, and open them in Designer.

In addition to saving single workflows, you can save multiple workflows as a workflow group, which can then be opened as one workflow group file (.yxwg). You can only create workflow groups of existing, locally saved workflows.

  1. With the workflow open, click File > Save As.
  2. Select the location where you want to save the workflow:
    1. Click Browse.
    2. In File Explorer, go to the location where you want to save the workflow.
    3. In File Name, enter a name for the workflow.
    4. Click Save.

    By default, workflows you own are saved to your private studio. Workflows that were shared with you in a collection are saved in the collection.

    1. Click Save As.

    2. Click Alteryx Server > My Company's Server.
    3. Log in with your user name and password. Select Keep me logged to keep your session active, as desired.
    4. In the Save Workflow window, enter a Workflow Name.

      5. By default, Location displays the studio where the workflow will be saved. If the workflow has been shared with you in a collection, Location displays the collection.

    5. In Worker Tag, select an option to assign a specific worker to run the workflow.
    6. (Optional) In Details, enter any helpful comments.
    7. (Optional) Click Workflow Options to select one of the following:

      8. Workflow Option

      Description

      Publish this version of the workflow

      Publishes this version of the workflow as the available version in the Server.

      This option is only available if the workflow has been to the Server before. Do not select this option if you do not want other users to use this version of the workflow.

      To update the workflow version in the Server:

      1. View app details and click Version # to view available versions.
      2. Select a version and click Make Published Version.

      Validate workflow then save

      (Default option) This option is selected by default. Validation checks if there are prohibited tools or commands. If validation fails, the workflow requires an exemption to run in your company's Server. Contact your Server admin to request that they change the run mode for your workflow.

      The following require exemptions to be run in the Alteryx public gallery: R Tool, Run Command Tool, Python Tool, Email Tool, and Download Tool.

      A Gallery does not allow event or chained app execution. See Workflow Configuration and Interface Designer Window.

      See Save to Gallery Messages for additional information about applying for an exemption.

      Manage workflow assets

      View and manage the assets associated with the workflow.

      • Select the Group assets by toolto display all of the workflow's assets or file dependencies.
      • You can also select the option to display all of the assets that are grouped together with the tool they are connected to.
      • Deselect an asset to omit it from the workflow package.
      • Assets that include a constant in the input path display in the list of assets, but are not included in the workflow package.

      Enable workflow locking

      View locking options for the workflow.

      • Select Restrict use to specific serial numbers to limit access to the locked workflow to only the specified serial numbers. Each unique serial number displays on its own line.
      • Select Set expiration for locked workflow to set the locked workflow to expire on the selected date. When the expiration date is reached, the workflow cannot be run or used.

      Set workflow credentials

      In order for this option to be available, a Curator (Server Admin) must select the Allow User to Select setting via Admin > Settings > Configuration > Assets > Workflow Credentials Settings.

      • User is not required to specify credentials: Run the workflow using the default server or studio credentials.
      • User must specify their own credentials: Prompt a user to enter their own credentials to run the workflow.
      • Always run this workflow with these credentials: Enter credentials to always use when the workflow is run.
    8. Click Save.

      See Save to Gallery Messages, for more on errors and warnings you may receive when trying to save a workflow to a Gallery.

    1. Click Save As > Alteryx Server > Add New Server.
    2. In URL, type the URL path to your company's Server.
    3. Click Connect.
    4. Based on the Server configuration, authentication steps vary:

      5. Configuration Type

      Authentication Steps

      Built-in authentication
      1. In Email and Password, enter your Server email and password.
      2. Select Keep me logged in, if desired.
      3. Click Connect.

      Windows authentication
      1. A user name displays.
      2. Click Continue to log in.
    5. Click the Server in the list and follow the steps to save the workflow to your company's Server.

    You can also save your Designer workflows to the Alteryx Platform.

    1. Click Save As > Alteryx Platform. If you have not linked Designer with the Alteryx Platform, go to Options > Manage Alteryx Links and create a new Platform link.

    2. Select your Alteryx Platform link.

    3. Give your workflow a Name and choose the Location where you want to save it.

    4. Click Save.

Export a workflow and its dependencies as a .yxzp package file. You must save workflow before it can be exported.

Dependency File Packaging

The following assets are automatically included with an exported workflow:

  • Input files
  • Output references
  • Macros
  • Chained apps
  • User-added files

The following files are not included with an exported workflow:

  • Missing files
  • Files identified as being part of the Alteryx installation
  • Files referenced by a network path
  • Input paths that contain a constant

When you export and workflow and its dependencies, Designer maintains the original file format of each file. The folder structure of the assets included in the workflow is maintained as long as the files included are children of, or siblings to, the workflow file. All other files are considered external, and, if included with the package, will be placed in an _externals folder.

Use the Workflow Dependencies, to ensure that no paths will be broken when referencing missing files.

  1. Click Options > Export Workflow to display the Export Workflow window.

    2. Workflow displays the name of workflow and its file extension.

  2. Complete any of the available configuration options:

    3. Option

    Description
    Lock

    Create a copy of the workflow, app, or macro, that can be ran but not opened and edited in Designer.

    1. Click Lock.
    2. Check Enable locking for this workflow.
    3. Configure the following options, as appropriate:
      • Restrict use to specific serial numbers (one per line): Enter the serial numbers of the licenses you want to be able to access the locked workflow. List each serial number on a separate line.

        A serial number is used for each Alteryx install. To view your serial number go to Options > Manage Licensesand see Machine Serial Number.

      • Set expiration for locked workflow: Set the locked workflow to expire on the selected date. When the expiration date is reached, the workflow cannot be run or used.

    Important

    • You can't undo locking.
    • We recommend configuring this setting last.

    Package Location

    Change the location where the file is saved.

    Group assets by tool

    Group the assets in the workflow by the tools in which they are used. If this option is not selected, assets are listed individually.

    Deselect an asset to exclude it from the workflow package. The asset is referenced, but it is not included in the package.

    Assets that include a constant as part of an input path will display in the list of assets, but they are not packaged as part of the workflow.
  3. Click Save.

Additional Considerations

  • You can only create a workflow group of existing, locally saved workflows. If you try to create a workflow group from workflows saved in the Gallery, you must first save each workflow individually on your local drive.
  • If you move or delete a workflow that is part of the workflow group, Designer displays an error when you try to open the workflow group.
  1. Open all locally-saved workflows to include in the group.

    2. The Start Here.yxmd is not saved with a workflow group.

  2. Click File > Create Workflow Group.
  3. In Windows Explorer, go to the location where you want to save the workflow group.
  4. In File Name, enter a name for the workflow.
  5. Click Save to save the individual workflows as one workflow group file (.yxwg).

Open workflows from a file directory or your Server.

  1. Click File > Open Workflow > Browse.
  2. Click Browse, and go to the location where the workflow is saved.
  3. Double-click the file name to open it in Designer.

    4. If the workflow is an exported (.yxzp) file, do the following:

    1. In the Package Import message, click Yes to import the workflow.
    2. On the Import Workflow Package window, verify the following information:
      • Package File Name: Displays the complete path to the file.
      • Workflow: Displays the workflow name. The assets in the package display in the box.
      • Destination Directory: Displays the location where the package will be saved. To change the location, click and select a new location.
    3. Click Import.
    4. In the Workflow Import Progress window, click Yes to load the workflow. If the workflow failed to load properly try importing it again.
  1. Click File > Open Workflow Group.
  2. Navigate to the location where the workflow group file has been saved.
  3. Double-click the .yxwg file to open. Each workflow within the group opens on a separate tab.
  1. Click File > Open Workflow > My Company's Server.
  2. Log in with your user name and password. Select Keep me logged in to keep your session active, as desired.
  3. In the My Company's Server window, locate the workflow. You can use Search, use the All Locations dropdown to filter, and select column headers to sort the results.
  4. Click the Versions icon to the right of a workflow to view previous versions, as needed.

    5. This option must be enabled in Server to be visible in Designer.

  5. Select the workflow and click Open.

See Save to Gallery Messages, for more on errors and warnings you may receive when trying to save a workflow to a Server.

  1. Click File > Open Workflow > Add New Server.
  2. In URL, type the URL path to your company's Server.
  3. Click Connect.
  4. Based on the Server configuration, authentication steps vary:

    5. Configuration Type

    Authentication Steps

    Built-in authentication
    1. In Email and Password, enter your Server email and password.
    2. Select Keep me logged in, if desired.
    3. Click Connect.

    Windows authentication
    1. A user name displays.
    2. Click Continue to log in.
  5. Click the Server in the list and follow the steps to open a workflow saved to your company's Server.

To open a workflow from the Alteryx Platform...

  1. Click File > Open Workflow > Alteryx Platform.

  2. Select your Alteryx Platform link. If you have not linked Designer with the Alteryx Platform, go to Options > Manage Alteryx Links and create a new Platform link.

  3. Navigate to the location of the workflow, select the workflow file, and click the Open button.