Tableau Your Data!: Fast and Easy Visual Analysis with Tableau Software

Tableau Your Data!: Fast and Easy Visual Analysis with Tableau Software

Released November 2013
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781118612040

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Book description

Best practices and step-by-step instructions for using the Tableau Software toolset

Although the Tableau Desktop interface is relatively intuitive, this book goes beyond the simple mechanics of the interface to show best practices for creating effective visualizations for specific business intelligence objectives. It illustrates little-known features and techniques for getting the most from the Tableau toolset, supporting the needs of the business analysts who use the product as well as the data and IT managers who support it.

This comprehensive guide covers the core feature set for data analytics, illustrating best practices for creating and sharing specific types of dynamic data visualizations. Featuring a helpful full-color layout, the book covers analyzing data with Tableau Desktop, sharing information with Tableau Server, understanding Tableau functions and calculations, and Use Cases for Tableau Software.

  • Includes little-known, as well as more advanced features and techniques, using detailed, real-world case studies that the author has developed as part of his consulting and training practice

  • Explains why and how Tableau differs from traditional business information analysis tools

  • Shows you how to deploy dashboards and visualizations throughout the enterprise

  • Provides a detailed reference resource that is aimed at users of all skill levels

  • Depicts ways to leverage Tableau across the value chain in the enterprise through case studies that target common business requirements

  • Endorsed by Tableau Software

Tableau Your Data shows you how to build dynamic, best-of-breed visualizations using the Tableau Software toolset.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. About the Author
  6. Credits
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. Contents
  9. Foreword
  10. Introduction
  11. Part I: Desktop
    1. Chapter 1: Creating Visual Analytics with Tableau Desktop
      1. The Shortcomings of Traditional Information Analysis
      2. The Business Case for Visual Analysis
      3. The Tableau Software Ecosystem
      4. Introducing the Tableau Desktop Workspace
      5. Notes
    2. Chapter 2: Connecting to Your Data
      1. How to Connect to Your Data
      2. What Are Generated Values?
      3. Knowing When to Use a Direct Connection or a Data Extract
      4. Joining Database Tables with Tableau
      5. Blending Different Datasources in a Single Worksheet
      6. How to Deal with Data Quality Problems
      7. Note
    3. Chapter 3: Building Your First Visualization
      1. Fast and Easy Analysis via Show Me
      2. How Show Me Works
      3. Trend Lines and Reference Lines
      4. Sorting Data in Tableau
      5. Enhancing Views with Filters, Sets, Groups, and Hierarchies
      6. Notes
    4. Chapter 4: Creating Calculations to Enhance Your Data
      1. What is Aggregation?
      2. What Are Calculated Values and Table Calculations?
      3. Using the Calculation Dialog Box to Create Calculated Values
      4. Building Formulas Using Table Calculations
      5. Using Table Calculation Functions
      6. Adding Flexibility to Calculations with Parameters
      7. Using the Function Reference Appendix
      8. Notes
    5. Chapter 5: Using Maps to Improve Insight
      1. Plotting Your Own Locations on a Map
      2. Replacing Tableau's Standard Maps
      3. Using Custom Background Images to Plot Spatial Data
      4. Shaping Data to Enable Point-to-Point Mapping
      5. Animating Maps Using the Pages Shelf or Slider Filters
      6. Notes
    6. Chapter 6: Developing an Ad Hoc Analysis Environment
      1. Generating New Data with Forecasts
      2. Providing Self-Service Ad Hoc Analysis with Parameters
      3. Editing Views in Tableau Server
      4. Note
    7. Chapter 7: Tips, Tricks, and Timesavers
      1. Saving Time and Improving Formatting
      2. Improving Appearance to Convey Meaning More Precisely
      3. Customizing Shapes, Colors, Fonts, and Images
      4. Advanced Chart Types
    8. Chapter 8: Bringing It All Together with Dashboards
      1. How Dashboard Facilitates Analysis and Understanding
      2. How Tableau Improves the Dashboard-Building Process
      3. The Wrong Way to Build a Dashboard
      4. The Right Way to Build a Dashboard
      5. Best Practices for Dashboard Building
      6. Building Your First Advanced Dashboard
      7. Sharing Your Dashboard with Tableau Reader
      8. Sharing Dashboards with Tableau Online or Tableau Server
      9. Designing for Mobile Consumption
      10. Using the Tableau Performance Recorder to Improve Load Speed
      11. Notes
  12. Part II: Tableau Server
    1. Chapter 9: Installing Tableau Server
      1. The Reasons to Deploy Tableau Server
      2. Licensing Options for Tableau Server and Tableau Online
      3. Determining Your Hardware and Software Needs
      4. Configuring Tableau Server for the First Time
      5. When and How to Deploy Server on Multiple Physical Machines
      6. Deploying Tableau Server in High Availability Environments
      7. Leverage Existing Security with Trusted Authentication
      8. Deploying Tableau Server in Multi-National Entities
      9. Using Performance Recorder to Improve Performance
      10. Managing Tableau Server in the Cloud
      11. Monitoring Activity on Tableau Server
      12. Notes
    2. Chapter 10: Using Tableau Server to Facilitate Fact-Based Team Collaboration
      1. Publishing Dashboards in Tableau Server
      2. Organizing Reports for Consumption
      3. Options for Securing Reports
      4. Consuming Information in Tableau Server
      5. Authoring and Editing Reports via Server
      6. Sharing Connections, Data Models, and Data Extracts
      7. Embedding Tableau Reports Securely on the Web
      8. Using Subscriptions to Deliver Reports via E-mail
      9. Notes
    3. Chapter 11: Automating Server with Tableau's Command Line Tools
      1. What do tabcmd and tabadmin do?
      2. Installing the Command Line Tools
      3. What Kinds of Tasks Can Be Done with Tabcmd?
      4. Learning to Leverage Tabcmd
      5. Common Use Cases for Tabcmd
      6. Using Tabadmin for Administrative Task Automation
  13. Part III: Case Studies
    1. Chapter 12: Use Cases for Rapid-Fire Visual Analytics
      1. Rapid-Fire Analysis at a Public Utility
      2. Aggregating Disparate Datasources at a Large University
      3. Analysis in a Major Railway Logistics Team
      4. Quality Metrics in a Hospital
      5. Planning for a Successful Tableau Deployment at ACT
      6. Employing Visual Analytics to Aid Succession Planning
  14. Part IV: Appendices
    1. Appendix A: Understanding and Using Tableau Functions
    2. Appendix B: Tableau Data Shaper Excel Plug-In
    3. Appendix C: Companion Website
    4. Appendix D: Glossary
  15. Index

Product information

  • Title: Tableau Your Data!: Fast and Easy Visual Analysis with Tableau Software
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: November 2013
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781118612040