Alteryx Designer: The Definitive Guide

Preface

This book has been more than 10 years in the making. When I first started learning Alteryx Designer as a supply chain analyst, I was most often in a state of disbelief during that time. I had been working over 70 hours a week and was very proud of myself that I had the stamina to stay afloat, but I was heading straight for burnout. I knew that working harder and longer hours was not going to cut it. I was in serious need of a smarter and more efficient way of doing things.

A colleague came by my desk one day and said, “Hey, I just saw a demo of this new software and I think you might like it. You should check it out.” If it had been almost anyone else I would have ignored the request because I had zero time available, but this particular colleague had a huge influence on me and I really valued what he had to say. I watched the demo of Alteryx Designer…and something clicked right away. I often joke to my friends that it was that moment when the sky broke open, white doves flew out, and I knew I’d found the answer I was looking for! It was just such a monumental moment for me.

I didn’t even miss a beat; I downloaded the trial and instantly became consumed, it’s even fair to say obsessed. I again was in disbelief almost the whole way. I honestly thought that I had had enough of analytics. I knew I was smart enough, but I didn’t want to spend all my days sitting in frustration—I just couldn’t believe that this fell in my lap.

I wrote this book for exactly that moment. I ...