Designer User Interface

Version:
Current
Last modified: September 28, 2020

The Alteryx Designer user interface consists of several components that can be moved, resized, reorganized, or closed. Visit Customize the User Interface for more information.

Workflow Canvas

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 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.
  • To duplicate a workflow in another tab, right-click the workflow tab and select Duplicate. A new tab is created with a copy of the previous workflow.

Start Here

The Start Here tab on the canvas displays a helpful set of starter samples when Designer starts up. To change settings, visit User Settings.

Workflow Configuration
Build Workflows

Search

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 5 results. Each category includes a link to access more results.

Search

Main Menu

Access windows and common actions from the main menu.

Main Menus

Tool Palette

The Tool Palette consists of tools organized into tool categories. To build a workflow, select a tool on the Tool Palette and drag it onto the workflow canvas. Alternately, you can right-click the workflow canvas, select Insert, and choose a tool from a list of tool category names to add a tool to your workflow.

To choose the tool categories and tools to display in the Tool Palette, select the Add/Remove Tools icon ("+") next to the categories. In the Configure Tool Palette window, you can...

  • Select and deselect tool categories on the left side of the window to show and hide categories on the tool palette.
  • Highlight a tool category on the left and select and deselect tools on the right side of the window to show and hide tools in the tool category.
  • Select a preconfigured Preset option.

Options

Select from these preset options:

Getting Started

Displays tools in the In/Out, Preparation, Join, Parse, Transform, Predictive, AB Testing, Time Series, Predictive Grouping, Prescriptive, Machine Learning, SDK Examples, and Text Mining tool categories.

Data Blending

Displays tools in the In/Out, Preparation, Join, Parse, Transform, In-Database, Documentation, Data Investigation, Predictive, AB Testing, Time Series, Predictive Grouping, Prescriptive, Developer, Connect, Machine Learning, SDK Examples, and Text Mining tool categories.

Spatial Analysis

Displays tools in the In/Out, Preparation, Join, Parse, Transform, Reporting, Spatial, Predictive, AB Testing, Time Series, Predictive Grouping, Prescriptive, Address, Demographic Analysis, Behavior Analysis, Calgary, Connect, Machine Learning, SDK Examples, and Text Mining tool categories.

Developer

Displays tools in the In/Out, Preparation, Join, Parse, Transform, In-Database, Documentation, Interface, Data Investigation, Predictive, AB Testing, Time Series, Predictive Grouping, Prescriptive, Developer, Connect, Machine Learning, SDK Examples, and Text Mining categories.

All

Displays all tools in all tool categories.

Modified

This option is not visible by default. It displays after you make modifications to any of the above default options. For example, if you remove a tool category from the All option, a new option called All Modified displays.

  • 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.
  • Select a tool category name to display the tools within that category. To display the description of a tool, select the tool icon. Some tool descriptions include an Open Example link that you can select to open a workflow that demonstrates how to use the tool.
  • Select the star icon associated with any tool to add it to the Favorites category. Favorite tools are indicated by a filled-in star icon.
  • Right-click any tool to reveal options that help you organize the tool palette and tool usage.
    • Help: Shows the help page for the tool.
    • Add to Favorites: Adds the tool to the Favorites category. Select the star icon associated with any tool to remove it from the Favorites category.
    • Open Example: Opens an example 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.
Tool Categories

Configuration Window

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.

Workflow Configuration
Tool Configuration
Connection Configuration

Results Window

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. Select one of the anchors (either on the tool or within the Results window) to display the data results from that tool. Navigate 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).

Results Window

Interface Designer

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.

Interface Designer Window

Overview Window

The Overview window provides a smaller representation of the workflow. For larger workflows, use it to pan around in the workflow canvas. It also shows you what tools have finished running.

  • The rectangle in the Overview window displays the area in view in the workflow canvas, and the shaded area indicates what is out of view.
  • To pan the workflow canvas, select and drag the rectangle in the Overview window from left to right.
  • Double-click anywhere in the Overview window when you are zoomed out to zoom in again.
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