Alteryx Designer Cloud Core flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Input Data tool

Connector tool that reads files, databases, or cloud sources into the workflow; the selected connector determines available configuration options such as delimiter or query.

YXDB format

Alteryx native file format that stores field types and metadata, reads faster than CSV, and preserves schema between workflow stages.

Wildcard input

File path pattern using an asterisk to read multiple matching files into one stream; files with differing schemas yield null fields rather than errors.

Output Data tool

Writes the incoming stream to a file or database; the output format is determined by the file extension in the configured path.

Custom SQL query

Input option that replaces the generated query with user-written SQL, allowing server-side filtering so fewer rows are transferred to the workflow.

Data Cleansing tool

Single tool that replaces nulls, trims whitespace, changes case, and removes null rows or columns according to selected checkboxes.

Select tool

Changes field type, name, order, and inclusion; it is the standard fix for schema and type mismatches between tools.

Imputation tool

Fills null values in a field using a chosen method such as mean, median, mode, or a specified fixed replacement value.

Multi-Field Formula tool

Applies one expression to many selected fields at once, useful for trimming, casing, or converting a group of similarly typed fields.

DateTimeParse function

Converts a text string into a date-time value using an explicit format string that describes the input pattern.

Record ID tool

Adds a sequential integer field to each record, commonly used to preserve original row order across sorts and joins.

Join tool outputs

Produces three streams: matched records, unmatched left records, and unmatched right records; all three anchors exist on every Join.

Union tool

Stacks records from multiple inputs by matching fields by name or position; it does not remove duplicate rows.

Append Fields tool

Adds all fields from a source input to every record of a target input without a join key, producing a Cartesian product when the source has multiple rows.

Summarize tool

Groups records by selected fields and applies actions such as Sum, Count, Min, Max, or Concat to other fields.

Transpose tool

Pivots data from wide to long, turning field names into a Name column and their values into a Value column.

Cross Tab tool

Pivots data from long to wide using a group field, a header field whose values become columns, and a value field.

Filter tool

Splits the stream on a boolean expression into True and False outputs; both anchors must be handled or records are dropped.

Multi-Row Formula tool

Creates expressions that reference other rows using Row-1, Row+1, or Row:0, enabling running totals and row-to-row comparisons.

Unique tool

Deduplicates records by selected key fields, keeping the first record per key as unique and routing the rest to the duplicate output.

Test tool

Evaluates a condition on incoming records and routes failures to an error output, acting as a data-quality gate in the workflow.

Sample tool

Returns a subset of records such as the first N, last N, every Nth, or a random percentage; most modes are deterministic.

Render tool

Produces a finished report file such as PDF, PNG, or XLSX from a layout, table, or chart input in the Reporting category.

Table tool

Reporting tool that converts incoming records into a formatted table; field selection and grouping determine the table's structure.

Layout tool

Arranges report elements vertically or horizontally so multiple tables and charts render together as one composed report.

Chart tool

Builds visualizations such as bar, line, pie, or scatter from incoming data; numeric axes require numeric field types.

Governed connection

Stored, centrally managed data source connection that users reference by name instead of embedding credentials in individual workflows.

Role-based access control

Permission model determining whether a user can view, edit, run, or share workflows and administer platform connections and users.

Data lineage

Record of the inputs, transformations, and outputs a workflow touches, supporting audit trails and impact analysis when sources change.

Version history

Retained prior states of a workflow that can be restored to revert the canvas without modifying any source data.

Block Until Done tool

Controls execution order by forcing downstream branches to wait, used when one output must be written before another reads it.

Performance Profiler

Diagnostic feature that reports per-tool execution time, helping identify the slowest steps in a long-running workflow.