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Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x
Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x

Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x: Get up and running with the new features of Tableau 2018 for impactful data visualization

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Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x

The Tableau Core

New to Tableau? This is the first chapter you should read. Tableau is an easy tool, and you can even start using it without any training. However, using it the wrong way or without knowing the basics is a big mistake. People who are unhappy with Tableau, or who find it difficult to use, don't have the necessary knowledge to have a great start.

To begin, we'll go through all the things that every Tableau user should know. The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

  • The different Tableau products
  • Speaking Tableau
  • Dimensions and Measures
  • Blue and green—Discrete and Continuous
  • The toolbar options
  • Live or Extract

By the end of this chapter, you'll have all the knowledge to start your Tableau journey in the best possible way. 

The different Tableau products

There are seven Tableau products:

  • Tableau Desktop is the product. It is a software to install on your computer. It is the core tool to connect to the data, build a Data Source, and create visualizations and a dashboard. This book focuses on Tableau Desktop.
  • Tableau Server is an online tool for sharing your work in a business environment. You need this tool to secure your data. Tableau Server is accessible with a simple browser. Your company hosts the server.
  • Tableau Online is the same as Tableau Server but hosted by Tableau. They do the updates and maintenance, but you lose some personalization features.
  • Tableau Reader is a software to install on your computer that can read Tableau Desktop files. With Tableau Reader, you are not able to modify the visualization, but you can read it and keep all the...

Speaking Tableau

Rather than a big list of all the terms, let's go through the basic Tableau usage.

When you open Tableau, you start working on a Workbook. After you're done working, you save your work in that Workbook (a .twb or .twbx file). You can open multiple instances of Tableau, each of them being a different Workbook.

The first page when creating a Workbook is the start page. Here, you can Connect to data and open recent Workbooks. Here is the start page:

After connecting to a File or a Server, Tableau opens the Data Source workplace. On this page, you can create the Data Source by choosing the tables you want to use and creating Joins, Unions, or other transformations. The following screenshot illustrates the Data Source workplace:

Once your Data Source is done, you can start working on a Worksheet...

Dimension and Measure

When you create a data source, the fields are split between Dimensions and Measures. The Measure is what you want to analyze, and the Dimension is the angle of analysis.

By default, numbers are Measures, and the other data types (Text, Date, Geographical Role) are Dimensions, but that's not always the case. Any data type can be either a Dimension or a Measure.

A Dimension contains qualitative information. It always splits the Marks and is never aggregated. 

A Measure is, by default, aggregated, contains quantitative information, and is almost always numeric.

You can easily see whether a field is aggregated or not by looking at its corresponding pill when you use it in a shelf. If it is aggregated, the name of the...

Blue and green – Discrete and Continuous

A field or pill in blue is Discrete. A field or pill in green is Continuous. Dimensions and Measures can be either Continuous or Discrete. 

A Discrete field displays each distinct value. Any data types can be expressed in a discrete way. In the View, a Discrete field placed in Rows or Columns is represented with headers. Here is an example of a Discrete Dimension and a Discrete Measure, as you can see both have clickable and distinct headers:

A Continuous field represents values from an infinite set. Only numbers and dates can be continuous. In the View, Continuous fields are represented on an axis. Here is an example of a Continuous Dimension and a Continuous Measure, as you can see...

The toolbar options

Whether you are working on a Worksheet, Dashboard, or Story, you can always see the toolbar on top. Let's review the different options it offers while knowing that a lot of specific words will be explained in other chapters:

  • Tableau icon : Opens the start page (you don't lose your work).
  • Undo : Reverses your action. The great thing is that you can undo an unlimited number of times, starting back from the very beginning if you want!
  • Redo : Useful if you undo a bit too much. You can redo the most recent undone action.
  • Save : Saves your Workbook on your computer.
  • Add a new Data Source : Opens the menu to choose a new connection to a file or a server.
  • Auto update Pause /Play : Interrupts all the queries to the connection. If you try to build a visualization, everything will be grayed out until...

Live or Extract

When you connect to a file or a server, on the Data Source workplace, at the top right, you have the option to use the Data Source Live or Extract, as you can see in the following screenshot: 

There is a big difference between the two options, so let's see them in detail.

Live

A Live connection creates a direct link between the Tableau Data Source and the database (server or file). It means that, if the data changes, you see the impact in Tableau directly after refreshing the Data Source, or when you reopen the Workbook. 

The problem with a Live connection is that you are dependent on the performance of the database. Large text files, big Excel files, or an unoptimized...

Summary

This chapter is theoretical but also necessary. The rest of the book is filled with concrete examples based on real cases. However, like every tool, it is important to understand the core principle to build great visualizations. Of course, Tableau is easy, and you can start creating visualizations without any help. However, there is nothing worse than starting with bad habits, only to discover that you've been doing it wrong the whole time.

What we saw together is the core of Tableau and how it works. We got a clear overview of the different products, learned the Tableau language and the toolbar options, and understood the difference between Measures, Dimensions, Discrete fields, Continuous fields, a Live connection, and an Extract. 

How about we start using Tableau now? Isn't that why you bought this book? The next chapter is all...

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Key benefits

  • •Explore all the new features of Tableau 2018.x
  • •Begin your Tableau journey by understanding its core functionalities
  • •Apply advanced techniques such as data blending and parameters to make the best of Tableau

Description

Tableau is one of the leading business intelligence tools used worldwide, in organizations of every scale. In its latest release, Tableau 2018 promises richer and more useful features related to visual analytics, reporting, dashboarding, and a host of other data visualization aspects. Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x will get you up and running with these features. The book starts with all the new functionalities of the different Tableau 2018 versions, along with concrete examples of how to use them. However, if you're new to Tableau, don't worry! The rest of the book will guide you through each major aspect of Tableau with examples. You'll learn how to connect to data, build a data source, visualize your data, build a dashboard, and share it online. In the final chapters, you'll also learn advanced techniques such as creating a cross-database join, data blending, and more. By the end of the book, you will have a firm understanding of how to effectively use Tableau to create quick, cost-effective, and business-efficient business intelligence solutions.

Who is this book for?

If you’re a beginner or an existing BI professional looking to get the most out of Tableau 2018's latest features, this book is for you. You’ll also find this book useful if you’re an aspiring analyst who wants to learn the capabilities of Tableau to answer business-specific questions. No prior knowledge or experience with Tableau or any other Business Intelligence tool is necessary.

What you will learn

  • • Discover new functionalities such as density, extensions, and transparency introduced in Tableau 2018.x
  • • Connect tables and make transformations such as pivoting the field and splitting columns
  • • Build an efficient data source for your analysis
  • • Design insightful data visualization using different mark types and properties
  • • Build powerful dashboards and stories
  • • Share your work and interact with Tableau Server
  • • Use Tableau to explore your data and find new insights
  • • Explore Tableau s advanced features and gear up for upcoming challenges
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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Sep 28, 2018
Length: 396 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781788838689
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Category :
Tools :

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Product Details

Publication date : Sep 28, 2018
Length: 396 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781788838689
Vendor :
Tableau
Category :
Tools :

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Table of Contents

15 Chapters
Catching Up with Tableau 2018 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
The Tableau Core Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
A First Dashboard and Exploration Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Connect to Data and Simple Transformations Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Build an Efficient Data Source Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Design Insightful Visualizations - Part 1 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Design Insightful Visualizations - Part 2 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Create Powerful Dashboards and Stories Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Publish and Interact in Tableau Server Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
An Introduction to Calculations Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Analytics and Parameters Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Advanced Data Connections Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Deal with Security Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
How to Keep Growing Your Skills Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Other Books You May Enjoy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
(3 Ratings)
5 star 66.7%
4 star 0%
3 star 0%
2 star 33.3%
1 star 0%
Christian Oct 15, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
All features are well detailed with clear explanations and hands-on examples. The pictures are in black and white in the book, which is not perfect, but it did not prevent me from learning how to use Tableau (and you can download the screenshots in color). Most important: I'm now able to use Tableau efficiently, and that's what I asked from the book.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Placeholder Jul 23, 2019
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Good
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Gavin Oct 13, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon Empty star icon 2
The information is pretty good from the sources I've read so far on Tableau but know that it's printed in black and white which is disappointing given its price and importance to data visualization.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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