Input Data Tool
Input Data Tool
User Role Requirements
User Role* | Tool/Feature Access |
|---|---|
Full User | ✓ |
Basic User | ✓ |
*Applies to Alteryx One Professional and Enterprise Edition customers on Designer versions 2025.1+.
Use Input Data to add data to your workflow by connecting it to a file or database.
One Tool Example
This tool has a One Tool Example. Go to Sample Workflows to learn how to access this and many other examples directly in Designer.
Important
The use of wildcards to read multiple CSV files with the Hadoop Distributed File System produces an error.
Configure the Tool
The Input Data Configuration window has 2 sections: Connect a File or Database and Options. Note that the Connect a File or Database configuration options vary based on whether DCM is enabled.
Connect with DCM (Default)
The steps below describe the default process with Data Connection Manager (DCM) enabled.
With the Input Data tool on the canvas, follow these steps:
In the Configuration window Connect a File or Database section, you can enter your input file path or select...
Open File: Browse to and connect to a file in a local or network directory. Refer to the Files section below.
Connect To: Open the Connector Setup window.
When you select Connect To, Designer displays the Connector Setup window. Configure your data connections using one of these tabs: Recents, Datasets, Connections, You can also access External Vaults, and Synchronize via the More dropdown at the bottom of the page.
Recents
Use the Recents tab to view and access a list of recently used connections. The section also contains links to these options:
Create or Browse a Data Connection: Use DCM to create a new connection or browse previously created connections. For details, go to Data Connection Manager.
Select a File on Your Local Storage: Select a locally stored file to use in the Input Data tool.
Select a Dataset on Alteryx One: You can connect the Input Data tool to datasets available in your Alteryx One workspace. This allows you to use centrally managed datasets directly in Designer workflows.
Datasets
Dataset Support in Preview in 2026.1
This initial release of Alteryx One dataset support is in preview. Please note these requirements and limitations:
This feature is currently in preview and is under active development. As Designer is updated, breaking changes might affect assets created in earlier versions, and the dataset configuration might need to be updated.
To connect to datasets via the Input Data tool, you must enable the AMP engine.
You can access only datasets for which you have permission as part of their Alteryx One user role (datasets must be available in your workspace).
You can access one dataset per Input Data tool.
Use the Datasets tab to connect the Input Data tool to datasets available in your Alteryx One workspace. This allows you to use centrally managed datasets directly in Designer workflows. To use an Alteryx One dataset in your workflow...
Select Datasets from the left menu of the Connector Setup window.
A list of available datasets appears, including the Name, Source, Owner, who the dataset has been shared with, and when it was last updated. Note that you can only access datasets that you have permission to access.
You can filter the list to show all datasets, only those owned by you, or only those shared with you. You can also use the search bar to find a dataset by name.
Choose a dataset from the list of available datasets.
Once you select the dataset, the Input Data tool is configured to use the dataset in your workflow.
Connections
Use the Connections tab to access or create connections via Data Connection Manager (DCM). Only connections supported by DCM are available.
The Connections tab lists any previously created connections (including Name, Technology, and Last Updated information), along with the option to create new ones. You can use the 3-dot icon to copy the connection ID, test the connection, or delete the connection if it's no longer needed.
To connect your Input Data tool to a previously-created connection, locate it in the list and select Connect.
Add New Connection
To create a new connection via the Input Data tool, follow these steps:
On the Connections tab, select the + New button to bring up the Select a Technology window.
Next, you can select the connection technology from the supported connections list. You can also use the Search Technology search box if needed.
If the technology you selected supports multiple connection types, the Select Connection Type window appears. Choose the connection type. This might include Quick Connect, Connect with ODBC Admin, Bulk with Local Staging, Bulk with Staging on Amazon S3, etc.
If you select a bulk connection that requires multiple connections, a screen appears and prompts you to select existing bulk connections.
Use the Select buttons to navigate to the bulk connections section and select Connect to choose the connections.
Once multiple bulk connections are chosen, select Continue to use them in the workflow.
On the New Connection screen, fill out the relevant fields:
Connection Details: Provide a connection name.
Data Source: Provide a data source name as well as other required data source-specific information (refer to Data Sources for additional information).
Credentials: Select an authentication method and enter the required credential information (for example, Client ID, Secret Key, Username, and Password) for the selected authentication method.
Once you've provided the necessary information, select Save to create the connection. You'll see your connection details appear. Select Connect to use the connection in your workflow.
External Vaults
Use the External Vaults tab to access or configure External Vaults via DCM. For more information and instructions, go to DCM External Vaults.
The External Vaults tab lists any previously created vaults (including Vault Name, Technology, and Last Updated information), along with the option to create new ones.
Synchronize
With DCM, you can sync credentials across your Alteryx apps. For more information, go to Designer DCM.
Connect without DCM
Important
Non-DCM workflows aren't supported with Workspace Execution. As such, this isn't the recommended approach for creating connections within the Input Data tool.
The steps below describe the process with Data Connection Manager (DCM) disabled.
With the Input Data tool on the canvas, follow these steps:
In the Configuration window Connect a File or Database section, you can enter your input file path or select...
Open File: Browse to and connect to a file in a local or network directory. Refer to the Files section below.
Connect To: To open the Data Connections window.
Use Data Connection Manager (DCM): Check this box to connect to data with DCM. Note that this resets your Input Tool configuration. Refer to the Connect with DCM section above.
When you select Connect To, Designer displays the Data connections window. Configure your data connection using one of these tabs: Recent, Saved, Files, Data Sources, or Server.
Recent (Non-DCM)
The Recent connections section contains recently configured files and data connections. You can select a recent connection or select Clear list to delete recent connections.
Saved
Select a Saved connection. To rename and edit your connections, use Manage Saved Connections.
Files
To connect to a file in a local or network directory, there are several options:
Select Open File in the Connect File or Database section of the tool configuration to browse for a file.
Connector Setup window (DCM): On the Recents tab, use Select a File on Your Local Storage.
Data Connections window (non-DCM):
In File connections, select the Select file button to browse to a file.
Drag a file to the File connections Drag & Drop area.
In the All supported file types section, select a file type extension to browse to a file of that type.
Alternatively, drag a file directly onto the canvas.
In the file browse window, enter a wildcard as part of the file path.
Consider a case where you have multiple data files with...
The same number of fields where data types for each field are the same.
Similar names in the same directory.
Wildcard Considerations
A single Input Data tool reads multiple files using the wildcard format, like *.csv or 2019*.csv, as long as the files all have the same number of fields, where the data types for each field are the same.
Designer sets the number of fields and the file types based on the 1st file read. Any subsequent files that do not match are skipped, and a warning appears. It's not possible to control which file is read first when using wildcard syntax like *.csv. It's up to the system which file is designated as the first.
Enter the file name that the multiple files have in common and add an * (asterisk) to substitute all subsequent characters or a ? to substitute 1 character. Include the common file extension when specifying the file names.
Example 1
This path includes every .csv file in the data\datafiles directory with a file name that begins with ABCD.
data\datafiles\ABCD*.csv
It includes ABCD_4.csv and ABCD_012.csv.
Example 2
This path includes every .csv file in the data\datafiles directory with a file name that begins with ABCD_ and has 1 additional character.
data\datafiles\ABCD_?.csv
On Select Excel Input, select 1 of the Excel inputs:
Select a sheet: Choose from the sheets available in the Excel file.
Select a range (cells, rows, or columns): Optionally, select a range of cells, rows, or columns within the sheet.
Select a named range: Choose from the named ranges available in the Excel file.
Import only the list of sheet names: Create output with a single column that contains sheet names as values. None of the related data is output when this option is selected.
If the Excel sheet that you select is open, an error message displays, and you will not be able to proceed. Close the sheet, select the Refresh button in the Select Excel Input dialog, and finish the input process.
The Input Data tool skips columns that are not defined. A defined column is a column that either contains data or previously contained data that was cleared by the user. To include columns that are not defined, specify a range via the Select a range (cells, rows or columns) option in the Select Excel Input dialog.
When you select a .gz, .tgz, or .zip file, the Extract File window appears. Refer to Gzip File Support and Zip File Support for more information.
Use the Select file type to extract dropdown to select the file type.
Select files: Check the box next to the file you want to extract.
To view all files in the Gzip or Zip file, including files that are not supported by Alteryx... Select a file type to Parse other files as.
Use the Select file type to extract dropdown to select Other Files.
Select a file type to Parse other files as.
Select Open to continue.
Important
Alteryx doesn't support Gzip and Zip files in Gallery.
File Type | File Extension |
|---|---|
.cydb | |
.yxdb | |
Alteryx Spatial Zip | .sz |
.avro | |
Comma Separated Values | .csv |
dBase | .dbf |
ESRI Personal GeoDatabase | .mdb |
ESRI Shapefile | .shp |
Extensible Markup Language | .xml |
.flat | |
GIS | .grc, .grd |
Google Earth/Google Maps | .kml |
.gz, .tgz | |
IBM SPSS | .sav |
.json | |
MapInfo Professional Table | .tab |
Microsoft Access 2000-2003 | .mdb |
Microsoft Access 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 | .accdb |
Microsoft Excel Binary | .xlsb |
Microsoft Excel 1997-2003 | .xls |
.xlsx | |
Microsoft Excel Macro-Enabled | .xlsm |
QlikView | .qvx |
SAS | .sas7bdat |
SQLite | .sqlite |
Text | .txt, .asc |
.zip |
Unknown file types include any other file types that Alteryx can't read natively. If you use the Input data tool to read an unknown file type, the Resolve File Type window displays with these options:
Read it as a built in type: Select the file type that resembles the structure of your file.
Read it as a fixed width text file: When you select this option, you can assign columns by using a sliding ruler. Go to Flat File Layout for more information on this option.
Read it as a delimited text file: Select this option if there is a single delimiter that signifies column breaks in your data. Select an appropriate delimiter type, and optionally select whether the First Row Contains Field Names in your data.
Data Sources
The Data Sources window displays supported and frequently used data sources.
Tools: If you select Quick connect for a tool you have not installed, a browser opens to the Alteryx Community for you to download and install that tool. Read the instructions on the page carefully. Once the tool is installed, the Input Data tool changes on the canvas to the tool you selected from the Data sources tab.
Data sources:
ODBC: Launch the ODBC connection window. It displays a filtered list of DSNs on the system that use that particular driver.
OleDB: Launch the native Windows OleDB manager.
OCI: Launch the Native Oracle OCI connection manager. From here, select the Net Service Name as defined in your
tnsnames.orafile that you want to use for this connection, as well as the username and password credentials.Bulk opens a special dialog that lets you set up a bulk connection for the selected connection type.
Quick connect: For SQL or Oracle Quick connect, you can either use a pre-existing saved connection or create a new saved connection. Refer to these pages for details:
All other Quick connections use another tool.
Supported Data Sources
For a detailed list of supported data sources, go to Data Sources.
Server
Server displays each Alteryx Server UI (and its URL) added on the local computer. A list below each Server name contains the saved connections stored on the Server you have access to.
Select + Server to add another Alteryx Server connection.
Options
Use this section to configure file format options. These options vary depending on the file or database you connect to. For more information, including file-specific options and descriptions, go to File Format Options.
Preview Data Layout
Preview the data layout in the Preview section of the Input Data tool Configuration window. The data layout preview is limited to 100 records or fewer in wide files. If the data contains 1500 columns, at least 1 record, and up to 2 rows appear. To view all data, use a Browse tool.
Duplicate Column Names
If your input file contains multiple columns with the same name, Designer automatically renames the duplicate columns according to these rules:
If the last character in the duplicate column name is either 1 or 9, Designer appends an underscore (_) and a number, starting with 2 to the duplicate column name.
Original Column Name | Duplicate Column (Renamed by Designer) |
|---|---|
A1 | A1_2 |
A9 | A9_2 |
If the last character in the duplicate column is a digit between 2 and 8 (inclusive), Designer increments that digit to rename the duplicate column name.
However, if the 2nd to last character is also a digit, Designer appends an underscore (_) and a number, starting with 2 to the duplicate column name.
Original Column Name | Duplicate Column (Renamed by Designer) |
|---|---|
A2 | A3 |
A5 | A6 |
A22 | A22_2 |
If the last character in the duplicate column is a letter or special character, Designer adds a number (starting with 2) to rename the duplicate column name.
Original Column Name | Duplicate Column (Renamed by Designer) |
|---|---|
age | age2 |
registered? | registered?2 |
Note
Visual Query Builder can't display multi-byte characters correctly. Use the tables tab instead.
Convert an Output Data Tool to an Input Data Tool
You can convert an Output Data tool to an Input Data tool. Follow these steps:
On the workflow canvas, right-click the Output Data tool you want to convert to an Input Data tool.
Select Convert To Input Data.
The output data becomes the input data.