Two fundamentals when it comes to inputting data efficiently into your workflow are evident when you have multiple text files (csv) to import that have similar names or when you need to import multiple sheets from one excel file (xlsx etc.).

Importing Multiple Text Files with Similar Names

Say you are given a folder with text files named as follows:

In Alteryx, you could use multiple input tools to import each individual csv file into the workflow or use the more efficient method: the wildcard. The wildcard can be used in two different ways; the first is replacing a single character that differs between the names of the files with a question mark, '?', and the second is replacing multiple characters that differ between the names of the files with an asterisk, '*'. In this example, more than one character changes for the years as moving from the 2010's to the 2020's so the asterisk can be used here. Initially, one of the csv files is imported with the input tool as follows:

The file name is then changed in the configuration pane to import all files:

Alternatively, the asterisk could have just replaced the last two characters so included '20' at the beginning of the file name.

Importing Multiple Sheets from One Excel File

In the excel file called 'All Transactions.xlsx' as displayed in the first image above, this file contains multiple sheets within one file. In order to input all sheets into the Alteryx workflow, the dynamic input tool is used.

The file is initially imported into the workflow using the input tool and selecting 'Import only the list of sheet names' as follows:

The dynamic input tool is then connected to the input tool. The input file is selected as the same as for the input tool as 'All Transactions.xlsx' and the Field is selected as the Sheet Names.

As can be seen in the data pane in the table above, the order date changes from 2017 to 2018 and further down in the table includes all data for 2019 and 2020 too. All data from each of the individual sheets in the excel file can now be analysed from one dataset.