Alteryx Designer: The Definitive Guide

Chapter 10. In-Database Tools

Even if you already have some familiarity with Alteryx Designer, the In-Database (In-DB) tools are likely new to you, so I will take the pleasure of introducing them to you in this chapter. This is a set of tools you absolutely need to have in your back pocket if you work with databases in any way. I am going to help you understand what In-DB tools are, what they do, and why they are so important. You are likely going to learn these tools quickly, as many of them are similar in configuration to the tools you have learned already, with some important nuances; they just execute in a different way. First, let’s jump right in and learn what In-DB tools are.

What Problem Do In-DB Tools Solve?

The In-DB tools enable almost all of the same data operations as the standard tools—like the Select tool, Formula tool, and Summarize tool—but with a key distinction: The data does not leave the database. In-DB tools connect to your database. When the workflow runs, it takes the commands you have created within your tools, sends them to the database, and processes the query. The workflow does not send the data back. It keeps everything on the database, instead of bringing the data over the network to your machine. The data will only return once you’ve told the database that you want all the data to come back to your machine via data output or other tool.

Consider a workflow that uses the standard input tool and connects to a database in order to pull, say, 10 million ...