Visual analytics through natural language search with Ask Data

Ask Data is a natural language search interface from Tableau Server and Cloud. It allows users to perform visual analysis without needing to have the technical skills that are associated with traditional business intelligence products. If a person can type out a business question in natural text, they can get an answer. This is true if the answer is in their data, of course!

Data modeling strategies are essential for a seamless experience with Ask Data.

First, Ask Data only works with published data sources. That is, data models that are embedded in workbooks are not available for Ask Data.

Second, at least one lens needs to be created on your published data source to use Ask Data. Lenses allow data modelers to further refine published data sources to hide fields, rename fields, add synonyms, and create view recommendations. All these options can be very valuable to the natural language question experience.

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