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Action Tool Icon Action Tool

One Tool Example

Action has a One Tool Example. Go to Sample Workflows to learn how to access this and many other examples directly in Alteryx Designer.

Use Action to update the configuration of a workflow with values provided by interface questions, when run as an app or macro.

Action has 2 incoming connection anchors:

  • The Q input connector accepts the output connections of Interface tools that use the same graphic. This input connector accepts multiple inputs. It is the value from the incoming tool that is applied to the Action and sent to update the downstream tool.

  • The condition anchor (diamond icon) accepts the output of a Condition tool.

Action has 1 outgoing connection anchor:

The lightning bolt anchor connects to the lightning bolt input anchor of the workflow tool. The connection between these anchors contains the user's value from the interface tool and the method of how it will update the connected workflow tool with that value.

Configure the Tool

Action has many possible configurations but only those actions that make sense based on the incoming and outgoing connections are visible, taking the guesswork out of which options to pick.

  1. Before configuring an Action tool, make sure it is connected (ensure it has an incoming and outgoing connection). If you draw a connection from a Question tool to a workflow tool, a configured Action tool is placed automatically between the tools.

  2. Select an action type: If the tool is connected to an incoming and outgoing tool, the list of available action types is pared down.

  3. Based on the action type and tool you are updating, select the element of the tool configuration to be updated.

  4. Complete the configuration as necessary.

Action Type

Description

Example Flow

Delete Tool from Workflow

Removes a tool from a workflow. It's preferred to use a Detour tool or Detour End tool to bypass sections of the workflow, but those tools do not remove input tools.

Condition Tool > Action(

Condition Anchor icon

) > Input Data Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Enable/Disable Container from Condition Tool

Enable/Disable Control Container from Condition Tool

Updates the Tool Container tool's/Control Container tool's Disable checkbox based on the connected Condition tool.Control Container Tool Icon Control Container Tool

Use a Condition tool when you want to account for a true and a false outcome.

Radio Button Tool > Condition Tool (T) > Action(

Condition Anchor icon

) > Tool Container Tool (

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Enable/Disable Container from Question

Enable/Disable Control Container from Question

Updates the Tool Container tool's/Control Container tool's Disable checkbox based on the connected Question tool. Note that if the Check Box or Radio Button is selected, the Tool Container will be disabled. If the question is not selected, the Tool Container will be enabled.Control Container Tool Icon Control Container Tool

Radio Button Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Tool Container Tool (

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Cell

Updates the value of a single cell of a Text Input tool.

Text Box Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Text Input Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Detour Direction from Condition

Updates a Detour tool.

Use a Condition tool when you want to account for a true and a false outcome of the Condition.

Radio Button Tool > Condition Tool (T) > Action(Condition Anchor icon) > Detour Tool(Lighting Bolt Anchor icon)

Update Detour Direction from Question

Updates a Detour tool.

Radio Button Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Detour Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Directory with Folder Browse

Updates the directory string of a folder path.

Folder Browse Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Directory Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Field List

Updates a tool that has a simple fields list.

Drop Down Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Find Replace Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Input Data Tool

Updates an Input Data tool with the results of a file browse question.

File Browse Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Input Data Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Map Input Tool with Map Question

Updates the Map Input tool.

Map Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Map Input Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Output Data Tool

Updates an Output Data tool with the results of a file browse.

File Browse Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Output Data Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Password

Updates a password.

Text Box Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Download Tool (

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Raw XML with Formula

Allows the underlying XML to be changed in almost any way possible. Proper use of this Action requires proficiency in proper XML syntax.

Text Box Tool > Action(Input Connector icon) > Output Data Tool(Lighting Bolt Anchor icon)

Just about any Question tool > Action > Just about any Workflow tool.

Update Select with multi-select List Box

Updates a Select tool with the results of a user's field selection. Multiple field selection is supported.

List Box Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Select Tool (

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Select with Reverse Field Map

Updates a Select tool with the results of a user's field selection when a field map is used while maintaining the user's original field names.

Macro Input Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Select Tool (

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Sort Order

Updates the sort order of a Sort tool.

Action > Sort tool (Lighting Bolt Anchor icon)

The Action tool doesn't require any input.

Update Trade Area Radius

Updates the radius of the Trade Area tool.

Numeric Up Down Tool > Action(

Input Connector icon

) > Trade Area Tool(

Lighting Bolt Anchor icon

)

Update Value

Updates any part of a tool's configuration in the underlying workflow based on the user's answers.

Text Box Tool > Action(Input Connector icon) > Filter Tool (Lighting Bolt Anchor icon)

Just about any Question tool > Action > Just about any Workflow tool.

Update Value with Formula

Updates any part of a tool's configuration in the underlying workflow based on the user's answers and a formula. Variables refer to incoming connections and have this naming convention:

#Connection Number: (Interface Tool Name) Description

You can reference multiple connections in a formula as long as they are all connected to the Action tool. Visit Expression Editor for more information.

Numeric Up Down Tool > Action(Input Connector icon) > Formula Tool (Lighting Bolt Anchor icon)

Just about any Question tool > Action > Just about any Workflow tool.