If you've been following my blog posts, you are a pro at understanding how URLs for API calls work. Or, at least you know where to find more answers (hint: start with the documentation!).
In Alteryx, there are three ways you can specify your parameters.
1) You can hard code your URL directly into the text input tool.
This is the simplest and most direct option.
Note: parameters are always separated from endpoints '?' and from other parameters by '&.' Sometimes documentation specifies that an access key is required to access the data. This would also be considered a parameter.
2) You can hard code your parameter into the Download tool.
In the Download tool, navigate to the Payload tab. Then, you can add your parameters specifying the Name and Values.
Alteryx will add the special characters of "?" "&" and "=" for you. So, no need to write those anywhere. That also means that your base URL in the Text Input tool will change.
3) You can create a formula for your parameters.
Just as in the above example, the text input of your URL(s) will be reduced to just the base.
Next, you can create formulas for your parameters, ensuring that column names match the allowed parameters exactly.
The values of your parameters are always a string, because ultimately, the URL as a whole is a string.
Next, you will add the download tool, specifying these new fields in the payload tab.
This means that in the future, you could input a table of parameters and their values, so that this flow is more dynamic.