Chapter 2. Which Tableau Product Is Best for Me?
I always say that there are five to ten topics that I wish somebody had told me the first day I used Tableau. The next several chapters address those topics, and will help you start using Tableau immediately! The first thing you need to know is what products you should download to get started. Tableau is growing at a rapid pace and there are still regular updates to all of its products, as well as the product ecosystem itself, making product selection a potentially confusing topic for a beginner.
It helps to understand that Tableau is a brand, and not a specific product. When somebody asks you to “download Tableau,” they could be talking about Tableau Reader, Tableau Public, Tableau Desktop (Personal), Tableau Desktop (Professional), Tableau Server, Tableau Online, and so on.
This chapter provides an introduction to Tableau’s product ecosystem so you can make the choice that best suits your individual requirements.
Which Tableau Product Is Best for Me?
The decision on which Tableau product to download comes down to four key attributes:
- Connectivity
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What data sources do you need to access?
- Distribution
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Who do you want to see your dashboard and how will you share it with them?
- Automation
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Do you need your work to update automatically on a refresh schedule?
- Security
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Do you require an on-premise level of security or can your work be saved in the cloud?
From here, I will share a brief synopsis of each product, how each answers ...
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