Packaging Analytic Apps for Sharing

1. The Challenge of Sharing: Workflows and Their Dependencies

An Alteryx Analytic App is saved as a .yxwz file. You might think you can just email this file to a colleague, but that often leads to errors. Why? Because most apps are not self-contained. They rely on other files, known as dependencies.

Common dependencies include:

• Input data files (like CSVs, Excel files, or .yxdb databases)
• Macros used within the workflow
• Lookup tables for tools like Find Replace or Join
• Supporting files for spatial analysis

To solve this, Alteryx provides a way to package your app and all its dependencies into a single, compressed file. This ensures that anyone you share it with has everything they need to run it successfully.

Let's clarify the two key file types involved.

As you read, a .yxwz file is the analytic app itself, containing the workflow logic and the interface design. A .yxzp file is a compressed package that bundles the .yxwz app plus all associated dependency files. This is the file you will use for sharing.

2. How to Package Your Analytic App

The process of creating a .yxzp package is called "exporting." You do this directly from Alteryx Designer after saving your app.

The documentation on workflow management gives a comprehensive overview of this process, including a crucial list of what gets included automatically and what gets left out.

Summary of the Export Process

Let's break down the key takeaways from that reading.

To export your app, you go to Options > Export Workflow. This opens a window where you can manage the package.

What gets included in the package?
Alteryx automatically detects and includes most dependencies:

• Input Files: Data files referenced by your Input Data tools.
• Macros: Any custom macros used in your workflow.
• Chained Apps: If your app is part of a chained sequence.

What is NOT included?
This is just as important to remember:

• Missing Files: If a dependency is already broken or missing, it won't be packaged.
• Files from the Alteryx Installation: Standard Alteryx files are assumed to be on the recipient's machine.
• Files on a Network Path: If your input is \\server\share\data.csv, Alteryx will not package this file. The assumption is that the recipient also has access to that same network path. For sharing outside your organization, you should use relative paths or place a copy of the file in the same directory as your workflow.
• Input Paths with a Constant: If you use a workflow constant to define part of a file path, that file will not be packaged.

3. A Practical Walkthrough

Let's imagine you've built the app shown below.

Scenario:

• App: Customer_Filter_App.yxwz
• Dependency 1: C:\Alteryx_Projects\Inputs\customers.csv (used in an Input Data tool)
• Dependency 2: C:\Alteryx_Projects\Macros\Custom_Cleansing.yxmc (a macro used in the workflow)

Steps to Package:

1. With the Customer_Filter_App.yxwz open and saved in Alteryx Designer, navigate to the menu bar and select Options > Export Workflow.
2. The Export Workflow window will appear. In the "Assets" list, you will see your app (Customer_Filter_App.yxwz) along with its detected dependencies (customers.csv and Custom_Cleansing.yxmc).
3. By default, all detected assets are checked and will be included in the package. You can deselect an asset if you do not want to include it.
4. Under Package Location, click the save icon to choose where you want to save your package and what to name it (e.g., Customer_Filter_App.yxzp).
5. Click Save.

You now have a single .yxzp file that you can confidently share with any other Alteryx Designer user.

4. Receiving and Importing a Package

The process for the recipient is just as simple. When they receive your .yxzp file:

1. They can double-click the file, or open it from Alteryx via File > Open Workflow > Browse.
2. Alteryx will display an Import Workflow Package window.
3. This window shows the contents of the package and asks the user to select a Destination Directory. This is the folder where Alteryx will unpack the app and all its dependency files.
4. After clicking Import, Alteryx extracts the files, maintaining the relative folder structure, and then opens the app. The app is now ready to run on their machine because all its dependencies have been placed alongside it.

Conclusion

You've now completed the entire lifecycle of creating an Alteryx Analytic App: building the core workflow, designing the user interface, testing and debugging for reliability, and finally, packaging it for distribution. This is a comprehensive and highly valued skillset.

Key Takeaways:

• Analytic Apps are saved as .yxwz files but are shared using .yxzp packages to include all dependencies.
• To create a package, use the Options > Export Workflow menu item in Alteryx Designer.
• Alteryx automatically packages most assets like local data files and macros.
• Be aware of exceptions: files on network paths and paths containing constants are not included in the package.
• Receiving a .yxzp package allows a user to easily import and unpack the app and all its required files.

This lesson concludes our module on Designing Analytic Applications. You've covered everything from interface tools and conditional logic to debugging and deployment.

In our next lesson, we will venture into a new and powerful area of Alteryx: Spatial Analytics. We'll begin with the fundamentals, learning how to work with spatial data types like points, lines, and polygons.