Building Data Models Using Relationships

In the previous chapter, we explored the various data connections that can be made from Tableau Desktop. We will now look at how to combine multiple data sources into a single data model. Tableau has a way of combining data sources at the logical layer through a feature called relationships. This chapter will explore relationships, how to create them, and how they work with different levels of aggregation between tables. This chapter will also explore creating unions between data sources in Tableau Desktop.

In this chapter, we’re going to cover the following topics:

• Using relationships to combine tables at the logical layer
• Understanding the difference between relationships and joins
• Setting performance options for relationships
• Creating unions in Tableau Desktop to add additional rows of data

Note

All the exercises and figures in this chapter will be described by using the Tableau Desktop client software...