Prepared By : Prof. Uday Shah (HOD-IT)
TableAU Basics
1. Download and Installation of Tableau
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Tableau offers Tableau Desktop, Tableau Public, and Tableau Prep for installation.
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Go to the official Tableau website (tableau.com) to download the installer.
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Tableau Public is free, while Tableau Desktop requires a license or a 14-day trial.
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Choose the correct operating system version (Windows or macOS).
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After downloading, run the installer file and follow the installation wizard.
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You may need administrator privileges to install Tableau.
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During installation, you can choose default file save locations.
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After installation, activate using a product key or login for Tableau Public.
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Tableau regularly provides updates for new features and bug fixes.
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Internet connection is required for license activation and Tableau Public usage.
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Installation process usually takes less than 5 minutes.
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Once installed, you can start connecting to data sources immediately.
2. Tableau Navigation
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Tableau interface consists of menu bar, toolbar, data pane, and workspace.
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Menu bar contains options like File, Data, Worksheet, Dashboard, Help.
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Toolbar provides quick access to frequently used commands.
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Data pane on the left displays connected data fields.
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Dimensions (blue fields) are categorical data, Measures (green fields) are numerical.
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Shelves (rows, columns, filters, marks) are used to build views.
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Marks card allows customization of color, size, label, and tooltips.
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Tabs at the bottom switch between worksheets, dashboards, and stories.
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Status bar shows summary info like number of marks, filter status, etc.
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You can rearrange panes and shelves for a custom workspace layout.
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Navigation is drag-and-drop friendly for creating visuals.
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Keyboard shortcuts make navigation faster (e.g., Ctrl+Z for undo).
3. Tableau Data Terminology
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Dimension: Qualitative fields like Category, Region, Product Name.
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Measure: Quantitative fields like Sales, Profit, Quantity.
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Discrete Data: Fixed values (blue pills) used for categories.
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Continuous Data: Ranges of values (green pills) used for measures.
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Table: A connected data sheet or database table.
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Field: A column in the dataset.
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Record: A row in the dataset.
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Calculated Field: Custom fields created with formulas.
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Aggregation: Summary functions like SUM, AVG, COUNT.
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Granularity: Level of detail in the dataset.
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Null Values: Missing data entries.
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Hierarchy: Group of related fields arranged for drill-down.
4. Tableau Design Flow
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Step 1: Connect to the data source (Excel, SQL, cloud, etc.).
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Step 2: Select relevant tables or sheets from the data.
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Step 3: Perform any necessary data preparation (joins, unions, filters).
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Step 4: Identify dimensions and measures to use.
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Step 5: Decide the type of visualization based on the question.
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Step 6: Drag dimensions and measures to shelves to create the chart.
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Step 7: Apply filters, sorting, and grouping to refine results.
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Step 8: Use color, labels, and size for better readability.
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Step 9: Combine multiple charts into a dashboard.
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Step 10: Add interactive filters or actions.
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Step 11: Format visuals for presentation.
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Step 12: Share or publish the final dashboard.
5. Tableau File Types
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.twb (Tableau Workbook): Contains instructions to build visualizations; does not store data.
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.twbx (Tableau Packaged Workbook): Includes workbook + data + images in one file.
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.tds (Tableau Data Source): Stores connection info and field definitions.
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.tdsx (Packaged Data Source): Data source + data included.
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.tde (Tableau Data Extract): Old extract format for storing data snapshots.
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.hyper: New high-performance extract format replacing .tde.
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.tms (Tableau Map Source): Stores map layer customizations.
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.tbm (Tableau Bookmark): Saves a single worksheet for reuse.
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.tps (Tableau Preferences): Stores custom color palettes.
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.tfl (Tableau Flow): Stores Tableau Prep workflow.
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.tflx (Packaged Flow): Tableau Prep flow + data included.
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.pdf, .png, .csv: Export formats for sharing static results.
6. Tableau Data Types
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String: Text values (e.g., "Product Name").
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Number (Whole): Integer values without decimals.
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Number (Decimal): Numeric values with decimals.
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Date: Calendar date values.
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Date & Time: Date values with time included.
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Boolean: True/False values.
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Geographical: Data with geographic meaning (Country, City, Postal Code).
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Cluster Group: Grouped fields used in analysis.
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Calculated: Custom generated field from existing fields.
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Currency: Number formatted as money.
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Percent: Number formatted as percentage.
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Duration: Time intervals.
7. Changing Data Type in Tableau
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Right-click the field in the Data Pane.
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Select Change Data Type.
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Choose from options: String, Number, Date, Boolean, Geographic Role.
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You can also change data type directly from data grid view.
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Changing data type affects how Tableau interprets and visualizes data.
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Incorrect data types can lead to wrong analysis results.
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Date formats can be switched between discrete (blue) and continuous (green).
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Number formats can be set as currency, percent, or decimal.
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Geographic roles allow map-based visualizations.
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Data type changes apply only to the current workbook.
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You can also use a Calculated Field to convert data type.
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Always check your visual after changing data type.
8. Show Me in Tableau
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Show Me is a panel in Tableau that suggests visualization types.
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Located in the top-right corner of the workspace.
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Displays chart types like bar, line, map, pie, scatter, tree map, etc.
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Suggests charts based on the fields selected.
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Greyed-out charts indicate insufficient data selection.
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Clicking on a chart type automatically rearranges fields to fit that chart.
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Helps beginners choose the right visualization quickly.
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Can be used as a learning guide for chart requirements.
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Works with both dimensions and measures.
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Supports more than 20 chart types.
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You can still customize the chart after using Show Me.
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Saves time in chart creation and experimentation.
:: Best of Luck ::
