book

Tableau Desktop Pocket Reference

by Ryan Sleeper

June 2021

Beginner to intermediate

159 pages

3h 8m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Conventions Used in This BookPlayfair Data TVO’Reilly Online LearningHow to Contact UsAcknowledgments
Tableau ProductsTableau License Model Tableau Version Updates
Common Data LayoutIdeal Data LayoutHow to Reshape Data
Data ModelsLive Data Connections Versus Data ExtractsData Source Versus Extract FiltersData Types
Data PaneFieldsShelvesMarks CardColumns, Rows, and Chart Types
Using MeasuresUsing DimensionsMaking Classifications
Visualizing Discrete and Continuous OptionsChanging Discrete and Continuous Options
Creating a Bar ChartIntroducing Aggregation in TableauCombining Measures and Dimensions to Glean Insight
Tableau Line Graph DefaultsUsing the Show Me FeatureAdding Context to a Line Graph by Encoding MarksFormatting Tips for Line Graphs
Visualization Level of DetailGetting Started with the Analytics PaneClosing Thoughts on Chart Types

Types of FiltersOptions for Scaling FiltersUnderstanding Tableau’s Filter Order of OperationsData Source and Extract Filters
Basic Calculated FieldsAggregate Calculated FieldsRow-Level Calculated FieldsTable CalculationsLevel of Detail Calculations
How to Make a ParameterHow to Use Dynamic ParametersPopular Use CasesUsing a String for Dimension Member Highlighting and/or FilteringUsing a Float for Scenario PlayingUsing a Dynamic Parameter for Date Filtering
How to Create SetsPractical Use CasesSets as a FilterSets as a DimensionSets within Calculated FieldsSets as a Highlighter
The Dashboard PaneChoosing the Layout and Size of a DashboardDashboard Sheets and ObjectsTiled, Floating, and Hybrid ObjectsThe Layout PaneDashboard ActionsDistributing DashboardsTableau Server or Tableau OnlineTableau PublicTableau Packaged WorkbookPDFPowerPointImagesConclusion

Content preview from Tableau Desktop Pocket Reference

Chapter 1. Tableau’s Product Ecosystem

The first thing to know as you’re getting started is that you don’t simply “download Tableau.” Tableau is a brand—and under its brand umbrella, it provides a family of end-to-end, self-service analytics products, spanning data engineering to dashboard distribution. The choice of which product you download, use, or access comes down to your role within your organization, the permissions you have to access confidential company data, and/or the trust you have to share insights with others. This chapter covers Tableau’s current product lineup, its licensing model, and version updates.

Tableau Products

Tableau Prep Builder is drag-and-drop data engineering software that allows you to connect to various data sources and prepare them for use with Tableau Desktop or other software programs. With Tableau Prep Builder, you can combine, clean, aggregate, and/or pivot data before either saving it locally or publishing it to a central repository for others to use.

Tableau Prep Conductor, included in Tableau’s Data Management add-on, allows you to schedule and automate the data engineering flows that are developed within Tableau Prep Builder.

Tip

For an in-depth guide to Tableau Prep Builder and Tableau Prep Conductor, check out Tableau Prep: Up & Running by Carl Allchin (O’Reilly, 2020).

Tableau Desktop is drag-and-drop analytics and data visualization software. With Tableau Desktop, you can connect to a wide variety of data sources, explore data of ...