Auto Insights Uploader Tool Icon

Auto Insights Uploader Tool

Version:
2023.1
Last modified: September 18, 2023

Run your workflow with the Auto Insights Uploader tool to view your dataset insights instantly in Alteryx Auto Insights. This tool takes a copy of the data that is transformed in Designer and loads it into Auto Insights for you.

System Requirements

  • Alteryx Designer 2021.2+
  • AMP Engine 
  • An Alteryx Community account to download the tool.
  • An active Alteryx Auto Insights account with an Administrator or Organization Admin Role. Contact your IT Admin to request changes to your role.
  • For tool version 1.214x, you must have Alteryx Data Connection Manager (DCM) enabled. To enable DCM in Designer, go to Options > User Settings > Edit User Settings > DCM. Check the boxes Override DCM System Settings and Enable DCM.  For Access to SDK dropdown, set to AllowAll.

Upgrade Considerations

  • To avoid workflow errors, uninstall any previous versions of the tool. See uninstall steps at the end of this article. 
  • Designer 2021.4—We recommend upgrading from 2021.4.1 to the latest version of Designer as there are stability issues with this version.​

Download

This tool is included with Designer 2022.1 as well as 2022.3 and above, however, it is recommended that all Designer users download and install the latest version of the Auto Insights Uploader. Other versions require you to download the tool from Alteryx Community. Make sure you download the version that is compatible with your version of Designer. *While this tool is compatible with Alteryx Designer-FIPS and Server-FIPS, Auto Insights, and the Auto Insights Uploader tool are not FIPS compliant. 

Alteryx Analytics Cloud—Version v1.8.xxx of the Auto Insights Uploader tool or newer is required to upload to Auto Insights in Alteryx Analytics Cloud.

Install

Download and install the latest compatible version of the Uploader tool for your version of Designer.

  1. Download the relevant Uploader tool installation file from Alteryx Community.
  2. Select and hold (right-click) on the Designer app. Select Run as administrator.
  3. In Designer, select File > Open Workflow > Browse.
  4. Find the Auto Insights Uploader YXI that's compatible with your version of Designer, and select Open. The tool installer displays.
  5. Select Install for all users​​​​​.
  6. Select Install.

Dataset Requirements

  • At least 1 segment column (formatted as string/text).

  • Segment values (string data) can contain any characters supported by Unicode/UTF-8 encoding.

  • Remove free text or unstructured data columns (data longer than 256 characters will be truncated)

  • Column names must...

    • Have no duplicates.

    • Be included as the first row of data.

    • Not include the "|" pipe character.

    • Have no more than 128 characters.

For more information on how to prepare your data to use in Auto Insights, see Data Preparation.

Configure Designer Versions 2021.2 and 2021.3

The Auto Insights Uploader Tool v1.x.213 is only compatible with Designer versions 2021.2 and 2021.3.

  1. In Alteryx Designer, go to the In/Out tool category.
  2. Drag the Auto Insights Uploader tool onto the canvas.
  3. In the configuration panel, enter your organization's Host (for example, https://us.autoinsights.alteryxcloud.com), then select Connect. Note: To find and copy your Host, sign in to Auto Insights and then select your Profile icon > Account Settings > API Tokens. Select Copy next to your host. Paste into Designer.

    Host on API Tokens page

  4. Under API Token, select Click here to log in and create your Access Key/Secret. A sign-in window displays.
  5. Sign in to your Auto Insights account, then select Create Token.
  6. Paste your Access Key and Secret into the Configuration panel, then select Verify.
  7. Enter a Dataset Name or select a dataset from the dropdown, then select Save.

Now you’re ready to build your workflow.

Configure Designer Versions 2021.4 and Newer

There are 2 versions of the Auto Insights Uploader Tool compatible with Designer versions 2021.4 and newer. Uploader v1.x.214 is compatible with Designer versions 2021.4 and 2022.1, while Uploader v1.x.223 is compatible with Designer versions 2022.2 and 2022.3. These share the same configuration instructions.

  1. In Alteryx Designer, go to the In/Out tool category.
  2. Drag the Auto Insights Uploader tool onto the canvas.
  3. In the Configuration panel, select Set up a Connection. Connection Manager opens.
  4. Select + Add Data Source.
  5. Enter a Data Source Name and Host (for example, https://us1.alteryxcloud.com/auto-insights). Note: To find and copy your Host, sign in to Auto Insights and select your Profile icon > Account Settings > API Tokens. Select Copy next to your host. Paste into Designer.
    Host on API Tokens page
  6. Select Save.
  7. Select + Connect Credential. 
  8. From the Authentication Method dropdown, select API Token.
  9. Check the Allow connection for SDK checkbox.
  10. From the Credential dropdown, select Create New Credential.
  11. Enter Credential Name.
  12. Enter your Access Key and Secret from your Auto Insights Account Settings. Learn more in the Auto Insights API Tokens article. 
  13. Select Create and Link.
  14. Select Connect. 
  15. Check that your connection displays in the Configuration Panel.
    Auto Insight Connection
  16. Enter a Dataset Name or select a dataset from the dropdown.

Build and Run Your Workflow

Auto Insights Uploader tool on the Designer canvas

Add the Auto Insights Uploader tool as an output in your workflow. The Auto Insights Uploader tool only runs with AMP Engine. To use AMP Engine, go to the Workflow - Configuration panel > Runtime. Check the box Use AMP Engine. Then, run your workflow to upload your dataset to Auto Insights. To launch Auto Insights and view your dataset insights, select Launch Auto Insights at the bottom of the tool's configuration panel.

An example workflow with Auto Insights Uploader

Update Your Dataset

To update your dataset, select the updated data source as Input in your workflow. Then rerun the workflow with the dataset you want to update selected in Auto Insights Uploader configuration. 

Use Auto Insights Uploader with Server

You can save and schedule your workflows that use the AI Uploader tool to Alteryx Server versions 2021.4+ to automate the end-to-end analytics journey from data to automated insights.

Server Requirements

To use the AI Uploader tool with Alteryx Server 

  1. Sync your credentials from Designer with Server. Go to Designer > File > Manage Connections to open Connection Manager. Then select Synchronize in the menu.
  2. Go to Alteryx Server > DCM Data Sources. 
  3. Find your data source, then select the 3-dot menu > Edit. Check the box for Allow connection for SDK. Select Save and Link.
  4. Save your workflow to Server. In Designer, select File > Save As > Alteryx Server​​​​​.

  5. In Server, either run the workflow manually or configure it to run on a schedule.

  6. (Optional) Set up an email notification for workflow failure. See the steps to do so in this Community article.

Uninstall

To avoid workflow errors, you have to uninstall any bundled or installed versions of the Uploader tool prior to installing a new version.

To remove the bundled Uploader…

  1. Close Alteryx Designer

  2. Open File Explorer

  3. Go to C:\Program Files\Alteryx\bin\HtmlPlugins

  4. Delete AutoInsightsUploader

To uninstall for 1 user…

  1. Close Alteryx Designer.
  2. Open File Explorer.
  3. Go to C:\Users\YOUR_ID\AppData\Roaming\Alteryx\Tools\
  4. Delete AutoInsightsUploader.

Uninstall for all users…

  1. Close Alteryx Designer.
  2. Open File Explorer.
  3. Go to C:\ProgramData\Alteryx\Tools
  4. Delete AutoInsightsUploader.

To learn more about Alteryx Auto Insights, visit https://help.alteryx.com/auto-insights.

Was This Page Helpful?

Running into problems or issues with your Alteryx product? Visit the Alteryx Community or contact support. Can't submit this form? Email us.