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Box

The Box connector lets you connect to Box storage in Designer. Box is available as a data source in the Input Data and Output Data tools, letting you read from and write to Box directly in your Designer workflows.

Important

New Connector Version in Designer

If your workflow uses the standalone Box Input or Box Output tools, those are now deprecated. Instead, use connector version 3.0.0 or later with the Input Data and Output Data tools. Use the workflow migration utility to update existing workflows.

If you want to update the Box connector in your Designer workflows, you can use the workflow migration utility.

Prerequisites

Requirement

Detail

Designer Version

  • 2025.1 Patch 5, 2025.2 Patch 3, 2026.1 or later.

  • File partitioning is available starting with 2025.2 Patch 5.

  • The Workflow Migration tool is supported for 2025.2 Patch 3 or later.

Connector Version

Box version 3.0.0 or later. Available from Designer Add-Ons.

Box Permissions

See Box App Registration.

DCM

You must enable DCM in Designer. Go to Options > Advanced Settings > DCM to enable it.

Network Access

Outbound access to Box and Box OAuth endpoints.

Box Connector Details

Box is available in Designer Desktop 2025.1 Patch 5 and later as a data source for the Input Data and Output Data tools. To learn more about the file type options, go to Read Data from Box or Write Data to Box.Read Data from BoxWrite Data to Box

Box Version 3.0.0

ID

Description

v3.0.0

  • Compatible with Designer 2025.1 Patch 5, 2025.2 Patch 3, 2026.1 and later.

  • Test Connection button has been added to all DCM authentication types to validate the credentials before saving it.

  • You can edit Scope for Built-in, Custom app.

  • You can edit Redirect URI for Custom app.

  • Box tool can render all platform-supported file formats, including CSV, XLSX, Avro, and JSON.

  • File Partitioning has been added for xlsx file format in Box Output.

  • Added the Read Metadata Only input option for files and folders.

  • Added the Read Only List of Full Paths input option, which reads full paths recursively from the selected folder.

  • Parquet file support in Box is available from Designer 2026.2 and above.

  • Added File Partitioning for the XLSX file format in Box output. You can split output into multiple files by a maximum number of rows or by the values in a selected column, and this requires Designer 2025.2 Patch 3 or later.

Known Issue

  • Box Input cannot read data from a link belonging to a different base account within the same company.

  • The Box Output Abort operation displays two errors in the output results window instead of one, even though the operation completes with the correct result.

Install the Connector

You can easily install the latest version of the Box connector from Designer via the Add-Ons. This is the recommended installation method that allows you to browse, install, and update connectors without leaving Designer or visiting the Alteryx Marketplace.

To install the connector…

  1. In Designer, go to Add-Ons > Manage Marketplace Add-Ons. You will see a list of available connectors.

  2. Select Box Tools Connector and select Install. Designer downloads and installs the package. Designer might require a restart to complete the installation.

  3. After installation and setup are complete, the Box connector is available from the Input Data and Output Data tools.

Set Up a Connection

To connect to Box connector using DCM...DCM - Designer

  1. Drag the Input Data or Output Data tool to the canvas, and select Connect to Data.

  2. In the Connector Setup, select Create or Browse a Data Connection.

    If you've created a Box connection before, you can select the connection from the Recents tab.

  3. Select + New. From the list of technologies, select Box.

  4. Enter the Connection Name and Data Source Name.

  5. In the Credentials section, select your authentication method, and enter the credentials. For more information, see Authentication Methods.

  6. Select Save. You can also select Test Connection to validate your credentials before saving.

  7. Select Connect. Box may request authentication.

  8. Select the read or write configuration in the Options window. To know more about the options, see to Read Data from Box or Write Data to Box.Read Data from BoxWrite Data to Box

  9. Select Confirm to create a connection to the file. You can continue building your workflow.

You can use the same Box connection in both the Input Data and Output Data tools.

Workflow Migration

If your existing workflows use the deprecated Box Input or Box Output tools, you need to migrate them to use the new connector. Use the workflow migration utility to update existing workflows. The utility requires Designer 2025.2 Patch 3 or later.

The utility previews all the changes and replaces deprecated tool instances with the new connector versions without breaking the workflows.

Review the Changed Behavior and Limitations sections before you migrate.

Note

Your existing Box connections may need to be recreated. Connections created with Box connector version 2.5.8 and earlier do not automatically become version 3.0.0 connections.

Authentication Methods

Box supports four authentication methods. Use the table below to choose the right one for your use case.

Method

Details

Built-in

  • Use this to set up a personal, ad hoc connection with your own Box credentials.

  • Uses the built-in Alteryx Box application, eliminating the need for app registration.

  • Scope is configurable and editable. Not recommended for scheduling workflows.

Custom App

  • Use this when your team shares a custom-registered Box application.

  • Scope and Redirect URI are both configurable and editable. For instructions on the setup, see Box App Registration.

Access Token

  • Use this to authenticate with a developer token generated in the Box Developer Console.

  • Developer tokens are short-lived, so this is not recommended for scheduled or automated workflows.

JWT app auth

  • Use this to schedule or automate workflows without tying authentication to a specific user.

  • Requires a Box custom application configured for server authentication with JWT. For instructions on the setup, see Box App Registration.

All four methods support Test Connection, which validates your credentials before you save the connection.

Changed Behavior from Previous Version

Review the changed behavior from version 2.5.8.

  • Shared links are accessed with the Raw Path feature. Not an authentication method.

  • Include subfolders checkbox is part of the Download File or Folder input option, which handles files and folders together.

  • The legacy option Rename is now Create a New File, which appends a timestamp rather than a unique number.

Limitations

  • You can use the Modify option in Box Output to append data to an XLSX file. Box connector versions 2.5.8 and earlier also support appending data to CSV and YXDB files. In version 3.0.0, Append is supported for XLSX files only.

  • The Upload File to Box output option is not available in version 3.0.0. It will be part of an upcoming release.

  • Box connector version 3.0.0 is available in Designer Desktop. Support for Alteryx One is planned for a later release.

  • Desktop Automation (Scheduler) is not supported by this connector.

  • Workflows that contain the Box connector must use the AMP engine.

Data Connection Manager

Box connector version 3.0.0 requires Data Connection Manager for credential storage. Create a connection to Box and reuse the stored credentials in workflows that include the Input Data and Output Data tools. Alteryx Server requires stored credentials to successfully run published workflows.

The Box tools version 2.5.0 and later also support Data Connection Manager.

Enable AMP Engine

Make sure you enable the AMP engine for the workflows that contain the Box connector.

Box App Registration

  1. Log in to https://alteryx.app.box.com/developers/console using your Box credentials.

  2. Select Create New App.

  3. Select Custom App.

  4. In Authentication Method, select User Authentication (OAuth 2.0). Enter App Name and select Create App.

  5. On the Configuration tab in Application Scopes, select Write all file and folders stored in Box to provide permission to the app.

  6. Select Save Changes.

  7. To generate a new developer token, select Revoke and then select Generate Developer Token.

  8. You can use Client ID and Client Secret from OAuth 2.0 Credentials for authentication.

Custom Application Setup

To avoid a Box CORS issue when using the app with OAuth authentication or Access Token and JWT, use a custom configuration:

  1. Box app with OAuth authentication:

    1. Add Redirect URI https://cef.alteryx.com/designer/oauthcallback to resolve the CEF window CORS issue.

      BoxOAuth
    2. Enter file://* for Allowed Origins.

      BoxOAuthCORS
  2. Box app with Access Token and JWT authentication:

    1. Enter file://* for Allowed Origins.

      BoxTokensCORS

We have deprecated the below standalone Box tools. Install the latest Box Connector to leverage the newest features.

Use the Box connector to run, schedule, and publish workflows from Designer, using files stored in your Box workspace. Supported file types are XLSX, CSV and YXDB.

Box Tools Standalone Release Notes

Version

Description

v2.5.8

  • Fixed an issue where the Box connector version 2.5.7 failed with multiple Box Input tools on Server 25.1 when workflows run in parallel and returned the error Failed to find DCM connection values.

v2.5.7

  • Designer displays a clear warning message when users enter an invalid sheet number, sheet name, or sheet range.

  • The Box connector defaults Time and DateTime precision to milliseconds to avoid extra trailing zeros, while still supporting nanosecond resolution when required by the workflow.

  • Fixed an issue where newly created files in the Box tools inherit the previously selected filename when saved with any extension.

  • Fixed an issue where selecting Enable Dry Run in the Box Input tool (version 2.5.6) using a DCM connection with JWT authentication causes an error.

  • Fixed an issue the Box connector version 2.5.7 doesn’t recognize YXDB files.

  • Fixed an error that occurs when uploading a file using the Box tools.

  • Fixed an issue where special characters in the proxy password cause an error when setting up a manual proxy server for the Box tools.

  • Fixed an issue where secret values were exposed in the returned JSON in the Designer HTML Developer Tools for the Box tools.

v2.5.6

  • Compatible with Alteryx Designer and Server 2021.4.2 Patch 6, 2022.1 Patch 4 and later.

  • Requires AMP engine.

  • Fixed issue where Box Input couldn’t read data when an Excel column had data of two data types.

  • Fixed issue where JSON Web Tokens didn’t work in the Box tools.

  • Fixed issue where the Python SDK didn’t report DCM errors.

  • Fixed issue where Box Input didn’t retain the type of date type data.

  • Fixed issue where Box Output converted numbers into text.