This is my blog recapping what DS41 have learnt with Jake Reilly in our 3rd training day with Alteryx Designer! We spent today learning about analytical apps, first of all, what is it?
An analytical app within Alteryx is a workflow that has a user interface, this allows the end-user to control aspects of the workflow such as changing parameters so they can execute a workflow without building it, automating the process.
Key Benefits of an analytical app are that it is accessible to users who may not have used Alteryx or have a non-technical background. Additionally, to run the app the users do not require a license.
Building An Analytical App
After building an Alteryx workflow, you can select interface tools on the tool tab. If you do not have this configured, use [+ on tools then select interface]. Here you can bring in different interface tools, which will be followed an action tool. Interface tools have a q-anchor which can draw connections to the workflow tools that have been populated with lightning anchors, as shown in the diagram below. Before we proceed with understanding how to build an app, lets discuss the different interface tools first!
Interface Tools
- Action, updates how the workflow is configured taking in the values that were selected from the interface tools.
- File browse, which allows the end-user to choose a location for a file. This can be used to select an input and also to select where to save the output.
- Drop-down, this displays multiple options from a single select list.
- List-box, this displays multiple options that allow the user to select multiple options.
- Tree, displays the hierarchal structure of the selections that the user can pick from.
- Radio button, displays a list of options that the user can select a circle to select an option.
- Error message, allows you to create and promote an error message to ensure the user selects based on criteria. When the error message displays, the downstream processing of the workflow stops.
Example of Changing a Workflow to an Analytical App
Here is a workflow describing two joined datasets, so an exchange rate can be implemented to update the output.
- To update this workflow to an analytical app, use the interface tools and bring in the browse tool.
2. Connect the q-anchor to the lightning bolt of the input tool in the workflow, this automatically brings in an action tool. This now allows the user to select a file to input into the workflow in the app interface.
3. Here we want to allow the user to select the fields to input so we can join the date fields and currency codes, so we can eventually work out an exchange rate for the orders. First, bring down a drop down tool, connect the q-anchor to the join tool within the workflow. Next connect the file browse interface tool to the drop down tool, this allows for the columns within the new dataset the user may pick to come up as options within the drop down interface.
When you click on the drop down tool, shown in A, you can restrict what data types that appear. I selected date, that way it is easier for the user to find the date field in the new dataset to automate into this workflow. When you click on the action tool, shown in B, you can select what the new field will replace. Here I selected from Join1 (which is the left of the join) and then selected the field value to be 'order_date' which is the current column for the workflow.
4. Repeat this process for the selection of the currency code, selecting the relevent data types and fields.
5. Here we want the user to select a field from the new dataset that represents unit cost, this will be used in the formula tool to work out unit cost divided by the exchange rate. When you bring down the drop down tool, connected it to the file browse tool, adjust the fields for data types to just be for numbers to ensure the user has less options to choose from. When you select the action tool, you can find the formula field and the value of the expression, here you select 'replace a specific string' at the bottom of section B and write the aspect of the formula you want the new field to replace - unit cost.
Hopefully, that has given some insight into how analytical apps work in Alteryx as well as outlined the benefits of the automation!