Tableau Desktop

Fundamentals Training

All rights reserved. © 2008

2009 Tableau Software Inc.
Connecting to Data Sources

• Tableau can access several data sources including:

• Plain Text Files
• Excel Spreadsheets
• Databases
• Oracle
• DB2
• SQL Server
• Teradata
• Etc.
Connecting to Data Sources

• Connect to your data

Connecting to Data Sources

• Combine data (joins)

Connecting to Data Sources

• Review the data and change data types

Connecting to Data Sources

• Change or reset field names

Connecting to Data Sources

• Create new columns

Connecting to Data Sources

• Connection options and data source filters

Edit and Save a Data Source

• Hierarchies
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Data Types
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Field Types
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Dimensions
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Measures
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Convert measure to dimension

Right-Click (Control-Click on Mac),
then Convert to Dimension
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Continuous and Discrete

• Continuous fields produce axes
Understand Tableau Terminology

• Continuous and Discrete

• Discrete fields create headers
Continuous Discrete
Using the Tableau Interface
Using the Tableau Interface

The Data Pane

• Contains:
• Dimensions
• Measures
• Sets
• Parameters
Using the Tableau Interface

• Analytics Pane
Using the Tableau Interface

• Toolbar
Using the Tableau Interface

• Toolbar

Tableau icon: navigates to the start page. For more information, see Start Page.

Undo: reverses the most recent action in the workbook. You can undo an
unlimited number of times, back to the last time you opened the workbook, even
after you have saved. For more information see Undo and Redo.

Redo: repeats the last action you reversed with the Undo button.You can redo
an unlimited number of times.

Save: saves the changes made to the workbook. For more information, see
Saving Your Work.

Connect: opens the Connect pane where you can create a new connection or
open a saved connection from your repository. For more information, see
Connect to Your Data.
Using the Tableau Interface

• Toolbar

New Worksheet: creates a new blank worksheet. Use the drop-down menu to
create a new worksheet, dashboard, or story. For more information, see Creating
New Sheets.

Duplicate Sheet: creates a new worksheet containing the exact same view as
the current sheet. For more information, see Duplicating Sheets.

Clear: clears the current worksheet. Use the drop-down menu to clear specific
parts of the view such as filters, formatting, sizing, and axis ranges.

Automatic Updates: controls whether Tableau automatically updates the view

when changes are made. Use the drop-down list to automatically update the
entire sheet or just use filters. For more information, see Automatic Updates.

Run Update: runs a manual query of the data to update the view with changes
when automatic updates are turned off. Use the drop-down menu to update the
entire sheet or just use filters.
Using the Tableau Interface

• Toolbar

Swap: moves the fields on the Rows shelf to the Columns shelf and vice versa.
The Hide Empty Rows and hide Empty Columns settings are always swapped
with this button.

Sort Ascending: applies a sort in ascending order of a selected field based on

the measures in the view. See Sorting.

Sort Descending: applies a sort in descending order of a selected field based

on the measures in the view. See Sorting.

Group Members: creates a group by combining selected values. When multiple

dimensions are selected, use the drop-down menu to specify whether to group
on a specific dimension or across all dimensions. For more information, see
Groups.

Show Mark Labels: switches between showing and hiding mark labels for the
current sheet. For more information, see Mark Labels.
Using the Tableau Interface

• Toolbar
View Cards: shows and hides specific cards in a worksheet. Select each card
that you want to hide or show on the drop-down menu.

Fit Selector: specifies how the view should be sized within the application
window. Select Normal fit, Fit Width, Fit Height, or Entire View.

Fix Axes: switched between a locked axis that only shows a specific range and
a dynamic axis that adjusts the range based on the minimum and maximum
values in the view. For more information, see Edit Axes.

Highlight: turns on highlighting for the selected sheet. Use the options on the
drop-down menu to define how values will be highlighted. For more information,
see Highlight Toolbar Button.

Presentation Mode: switches between showing and hiding everything except

the view (i.e., shelves, toolbar, Data pane). For more information, see
Reorganizing the Workspace.

Show Me: displays alternative ways to look at the data. The types of views available
are dependent on the fields already in the view as well as any selections in the Data
pane. For more information, see Show Me
Using the Tableau Interface

• Tooltips are additional data details that display when you rest
the pointer over one or more marks in the view.
Using the Tableau Interface

• The status bar displays descriptions of menu items as well as

information about the current view.
Using the Tableau Interface

• Cards and Shelves

Columns Filters
Rows Parameters
Pages Marks
Filters Title
Measure Caption
Values Summary
Color Legend Current Page
Shape Legend
Size Legend
Map Legend
Represent Your Data

Tableau let you analyze and understand your data using different
visualizations like:
• Cross Tabs
• Bar Charts
• Geographic Maps
• Dual Axis and Combination Charts
• Heat Maps
• Among Others
Crosstabs
Pie Charts and Bar Charts
Geographic Maps
Dual Axis and Combo Carts
Heat Maps
Box Plots
Distribution Charts
Highlight Tables
Tree Maps
Scatter Plots
 Reference Lines
Band
Line

Distribution Box Plot

Groups
Bins
Sorts, Sets and Filters

• Data can be sorted in different ways

Sorts, Sets and Filters

• Sets can be Constant or Computed

Constant
Computed
Sorts, Sets and Filters

• Select Data to Filter

Sorts, Sets and Filters

• Filter Dimensions
Sorts, Sets and Filters

• Filter Measures
Sorts, Sets and Filters

• Filter Dates
Measure Names and Measure Values

• Tableau automatically creates these fields so

that you can build certain types of views that
involve multiple measures.
Handling Changes in Data Source

• Specify a new location for the data source

• Apply analyses created using one data source to
another data source
• Add and remove tables
• Create custom SQL queries for supported data
sources
• Use stored procedures for supported data
sources
Handling Changes in Data Source

• Replace Field References

Sharing Visualizations

Visualizations can be shared by:

• Saving the workbook as .twb, .twbx
• Exporting the visualization to PDF
• Publishing to Tableau Server
Combining Vizualizations Using Dashboards