First Week has just flown by and I am so glad I have joined The Data School Down Under. If not, I would not have known about the amazing tool – Alteryx!
Alteryx is an intuitive drag-and-drop user interface. It’s so simple to use where the user just has to drag a tool from the palette into the canvas. This simplicity really shows the unlimited potential Alteryx hold.
With my new found knowledge, I just want to share a few tips I found along the way.
Always use Annotations!
Our coaches are constantly encouraging us to use annotations! It is definitely within our best practices to use it and by getting into the habit of using annotations, we gain a better understanding on why we are using that tool. Also, if you were to hand over the workflow to another person or go back to your workflow at a later date, you and that other person can then understand your thought processes with all the annotations.
Set the Workflow – Configuration to show annotations!
Use Containers!
By using containers, the visual and readability of the workflow increases. Its up to you on how you wish to group the containers and how colorful you wish to make the containers. The containers also have buttons to turn off everything in the container (top left button) or hide everything (top right button). There is no right or wrong in how you use containers. Everyone has their style and you just need to find your own!
Explore the Help search bar!
The help search bar in Alteryx is amazing! Can’t find the tool in palette? use the help search bar! You will find it in seconds. It also provides you help in using the tool by providing examples. Should you get stuck and can’t find an answer, most likely, you are not the only one. Use the help search bar and you will find similar questions being asked in the community for you to explore. Additionally, you can post your enquiry up and the community will reach out to assist you!
With only about two days of exposure with Alteryx, I can say for certain that I can not go back to the old days of using Excel when a simple solution such as Alteryx exist. As someone who has been preparing data using Excel for reporting in my previous career, personally, I am enjoying Alteryx more than Tableau. I keep imagining how easy reporting would have been if I had Alteryx to use.
