Tableau For Dummies

Introduction

About This Book

Part I: Getting Started with Tableau Desktop

Part II: Bringing in Data  

Part III: Analyzing Data  

Part IV: Publishing and Sharing  

Part V: Advancing to a Higher Level  

Part VI: The Part of Tens  

Conventions Used in This Book  

Foolish Assumptions  

Icons Used in This Book  

Beyond the Book  

Where to Go from Here  

Part I: Getting Started with Tableau Desktop

Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction to Tableau Desktop

Starting with Tableau  

Downloading the Tableau trial  

Installing the trial software  

Looking at the Tableau Workspace  

Starting Tableau  

Viewing a sample workbook or data source  

Seeing what Tableau can really do  

Chapter 2: Seeing What You Can Do with Tableau

Analyzing Data  

Looking back at data analysis  

Connecting to your data in Tableau  

Understanding Tableau worksheets  

Starting to analyze data  

Enhancing the analysis  

Creating Dashboards  

Telling the Story  

Chapter 3 : Understanding the Basics

Getting to Know the Tableau Desktop Environment  

Looking at the Tableau Start page  

Understanding the Data Source Page  

Using worksheets to explore data  

Getting to know the Dashboard workspace  

Understanding the Story workspace  

Connecting to Your Data  

Editing your data source  

Replacing a data source  

Working with Dimensions and Measures  

Understanding dimensions  

Understanding measures  

Choosing Chart Types  

Modifying Your View  

Part II: Bringing in Data

Chapter 4 : Understanding Data Connections

Understanding Data Sources  

Considering how data is stored  

Using file-based data sources  

Understanding Different Editions of Tableau Desktop  

Considering Live Data versus Data Extracts  

Chapter 5 : Connecting to Data

Preparing Your Data  

Using the data preparation features  

Targeting data sources for manual corrections  

Establishing a Connection to Your Data Source  

Keeping Your Data Fresh  

Chapter 6 : Visualizing Data

Using the Shelves and Cards  

The Columns shelf  

The Rows shelf  

Using a quick filter to exclude data  

The Filters shelf  

Pages shelf  

Marks card  

Modifying the View  

Fitting the space  

Adding annotations  

Adding mark labels  

Part III: Analyzing Data

Chapter 7 : Understanding the Tableau Desktop Environment

Looking at the Menus  

File menu  

Data menu  

Worksheet menu  

Dashboard menu  

Story menu  

Analysis menu  

Map menu  

Format menu  

Server menu  

Window menu  

Help menu  

Making Use of the Toolbar  

Organizing Sheets  

Chapter 8 : Considering Data Display Options

Using Show Me  

Understanding the Chart Options in Show Me  

Area charts (continuous)  

Area charts (discrete)  

Box-and-whisker plot  

Bullet graphs  

Circle views  

Dual combination  

Dual lines  

Filled maps  

Gantt  

Heat maps  

Highlight tables  

Histogram  

Horizontal bars  

Lines (continuous)  

Lines (discrete)  

Packed bubbles  

Pie charts  

Scatter plots  

Side-by-side bars  

Side-by-side circles  

Stacked bars  

Symbol maps  

Text tables  

Treemaps  

Viewing Your Data  

Examining the data used in a view  

Examining a subset of the data  

Chapter 9: Adding Worksheets

Seeing Why Multiple Worksheets Are Useful  

Naming and Organizing Worksheets  

Naming worksheets  

Organizing worksheets  

Chapter 10: Creating Dashboards

Understanding the Purpose of Dashboards  

Adding a Dashboard  

Organizing Your Dashboards  

Adding a logo  

Adding a web page  

Moving and resizing content  

Ensuring Ease of Use  

Synchronizing quick filters  

Hiding the panel  

Promoting Exploration through Actions  

Using a view as a filter  

Adding additional actions  

Chapter 11: Building Stories

Discovering the Value of Stories  

Telling Stories with Purpose  

Part IV: Publishing and Sharing

Chapter 12: Publishing Workbooks

Understanding Publishing  

Sharing Your Tableau Workbooks  

Providing Access to Analysis  

Chapter 13 : Sharing Files with Tableau Reader

Looking at the Reader App  

Providing Access  

Part V: Advancing to a Higher Level

Chapter 14: Advanced Visual Analytics

Using Advanced Analytics  

Calculations  

Parameters  

Totals  

Reference lines, bands, distributions, and boxes  

Trend lines  

Forecasting  

Chapter 15: Creating Calculations

Seeing How Calculations Can Be Useful  

Calculated fields  

Table calculations  

Creating Calculations and Parameters  

Creating calculated fields  

Creating table calculations and percentages  

Creating parameters  

Customizing Your Data with Parameters

Chapter 16: Unlocking the Language of Calculated Fields

Looking at Data Types  

Understanding Functions  

Considering Operators  

Part VI: The Part of Tens

Chapter 17: Ten Great Tableau Tips

Don't Wait for Your Source Data to Be Perfect  

Reuse Data Connections  

When in Doubt, Right-Click  

The Undo Button Is Your Friend  

Pay Attention to Visual Cues  

Leverage Your Previous Work  

Visual Best Practices Are Worth Learning  

Test for Performance  

Keep It Simple  

Save Early and Often  

Chapter 18: Ten Tableau Resources

Free On-Demand Training  

In-Person and Virtual Classroom Training  

Community and Forums  

Knowledge Base  

Support  

Tableau Visual Gallery  

White Papers  

On-Demand and Live Webinars  

Events and Conferences  

Tableau-Related Blogs  

Index