In this post, I would like to consider how to Control the order of multiple workflow executions.
Alteryx Platform has some functions for running some workflows with order. They are used for the various scenes. The function list is as follows.
- Chainned App
- Runner Tool in CReW Macro
- Macronize and Call it from another Workflow
- ServerAPI
- PLANs in the Alteryx Analytics Cloud
The difficult level is 1 being low and 5 being high.
By the way, Alteryx Designer has restrictions to run the workflow via command line. It is needed for the appropriate license that is Desktop Automation or Server license. So, using batch file or Windows scheduler are not worked without the license.
1. Chained App
Analytic App(YXWZ) has the function that calls the specific workflow with success run, which is called Chained App. To call the another workflow in Analytic App, you have to select the “Interface Designer” on the View menu and then, click the properties menu(gear icon) on the Interface Designer and enable the “On Success – Run Another Analytic App”. And also you have to select the next run analytic app at that menu.
Note that it is supposed to run the workflow by hand, so you can’t run the workflow on Server without hand continuously. In both Designer and Server, the workflow stops at the parameter input step whether it is not needed for the parameter.
Normally, the Analytic App is used to run with changing some parameters in every run.
2. Runner Tool in CReW Macro
For the Designer users, you can use the Runner tool in CReW Macro for this purpose. Note that if you use 2-bytes characters in your OS, the original CReW Macro shows error, so you have to use the Alteryx official version.
But this tool is not supported by Alteryx when you use it in Server because this tool runs the Engine which is not managed by the Server. In other words, this tool would be caused to the unexpected load for the Server.
How to install the Alteryx official Runner Tool for the 2-byte character user
First, you have to download the Official Runner tool from Alteryx official version and open the YXZP file. And then, you have to overwrite the CReW Macro, especially the binary execution file “AlteryxRunner.exe”, which is fixed to run at the 2-byte characters environment. Through this work, other Runner Macro(List Runner/Conditional Runner) would work well, too.
3. Macronize and Call it from another Workflow
This is based on the Weekly Alteryx Tips Week55. You make your workflows that you want to run one after another into batch macro and then you make the workflow that calls them.
The way that you want to macronize is as follows.
They have the Macro Input tool and the Macro Output tool that are connected directly for the connecting each macro. And add a Contol Parameter tool as dummy. This work is needed for all workflow that you want to run.
The workflow that calls the above macro is follows.
The last Select tool is for running the batch macro properly. It is needed to put any tools but except for Browse tool.
This way is the important way not using Server API to control running the workflows one after another. It takes time, but it’s a surefire method.
4. Server API
If you have the Alteryx Server, you can control by Server API. In this case, you can use the Server API to specify the next workflow at the end of the workflow. This way is well-behaved way for the Server. Using the Server API looks difficult, but using the Server API tool makes you easily.
5. PLANs in the Alteryx Analytics Cloud
If you contract the Designer Cloud and Cloud Execution for Desktop, you can use this way.
There is a function “PLANs” in the Alteryx Analytics Cloud. This makes you to be able to manage the workflow run order. And if you can use the Cloud Execution for Desktop, PLANs can use Desktop workflow.
Conclusion
- I have explained 5 ways to call another workflow one after another.
- Chained App
- Runner Tool in CReW Macro
- Macronize and Call it from another Workflow
- ServerAPI
- PLANs in the Alteryx Analytics Cloud
- Every way has advantage and disadvantage, so you need to choose the way according to the purpose, environment and costs.
| No | Method | Designer | Server | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chained App | ✓ | ✗ | Not Automation(To proceed the next workflow is needed by hand) |
| 2 | Runner Tool in CReW Macro | ✓ | ✗ | |
| 3 | Macronize and Call it from another Workflow | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 4 | Server API | ✗ | ✓ | |
| 5 | PLANs in the Alteryx Analytics Cloud | ✗ | △ | Expensive(it is needed the contract of the AAC and Cloud Execution for Desktop) |
Sample Workflow Download
This is for No.3(Macronize and Call it from another Workflow).
The next blog post is…
How to impute missing values.
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