Tableau Prep: Up & Running

Chapter 40. Connecting to Programming Scripts

In Prep Builder version 2019.3, the product’s development team added the ability to call programming scripts, so now we can use functionality in Prep Builder that is not natively available. The Script step (Figure 40-1) allows you to enter Python or R scripts written by others or those you create yourself. You can use these scripts to connect to website APIs or conduct data preparation tasks that are not possible within Prep Builder’s built-in functionality.

Figure 40-1. The Script step icon

This chapter will look at situations where you might want to connect a script into Prep, explain how to set up your computer to use the script functionality, and walk you through a short example.

When to Use the Script Step in Prep

The simple answer to when you should use the Script step is whenever Prep does not have the functionality you need to achieve your data preparation goals. Programming is a very flexible way to instruct computers to complete the tasks you require. Python and R are taught in many universities due to the number of packages available in the two languages. A package utilizes a programming language to complete common tasks, saving the user from having to write all the instructions from scratch.

Tableau Prep is designed to be easy to use, but the introduction of the Script step sits at the other end of the easy-to-use spectrum ...