Visual Cues in Tableau Desktop:

Tableau provides many visual cues to help you evaluate the type of data thats displayed in the Data window and
the state of a data view.

Data sources in the Data window

The following table explains each of the icons used to describe the type of data sources in the Data window. Each
icon in the table can be modified by one of two indicators.

A blue check mark indicates that the data source is the primary data source in the workbook.

An orange check mark indicates that the data source is the secondary data source in the workbook.

Visual Cue

Description
The workbook is connected to a relational data source.
The workbook is connected to a multidimensional data source. In Tableau, multidimensional data sources are
supported only in Windows.
The workbook is connected to an extract.

Fields in the Data window

The following table explains each of the icons displayed in the Data window. Each icon in the table can be modified
by one of four indicators.

Blue icons indicate that the field is discrete.

Green icons indicate that the field is continuous.

Icons preceded by the equal sign (=) indicate that the field is a user-defined calculation or a copy of another
field.

Icons with an exclamation mark on them indicate that the field is invalid.

Visual Cue

Description
The field contains text values.
The field contains numeric values.
The field is a calculation defined on the server.
The field contains only date values.
The field contains both date and time values.
The field contains geographical data and has been assigned a geographic role. Use these fields when
building map views.
The field contains geographical data from an active custom geocoding file.

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Visual Cue

Description
The field contains boolean (true or false) values.
The field is a calculation that is defined in the database by an administrator. These fields are marked with a
cylinder icon and are not available for all data sources.
The field is a user-defined set.
The field is a server named set.
The field is a set that was automatically created as a result of an action.
The field is a user filter, used when publishing to the web.
The field is a numeric bin.
The field is an group.
The field is a relational hierarchy.
A folder that contains one or more fields. Folders are used to organize fields in the Data window.
The field is an attribute of a multidimensional (cube) data source. In Tableau, multidimensional data sources
are supported only in Windows.
The field is a varying attribute of a multidimensional (cube) data source.
The field is a level in a multidimensional hierarchy. Levels greater than five are shown without numbers.
The field is a hierarchy in a dimension that contains multiple hierarchies.
The field is blended with a field from another data source. Orange color icon seen.
The field is not blended with a field from another data source.

Fields on Shelves
Fields placed on shelves use a combination of icons, colors, and text styles as visual cues.
Visual Cue

Description
A blue field on a shelf indicates a discrete field.
A green field on a shelf indicates a continuous field.
The Sort icon indicates a field that has either a computed or manual sort order applied.
The sigma icon indicates a calculation filter in a multidimensional (cube) data source.
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Visual Cue

Description
The Venn diagram icon indicates a set.
An field name shown in italics indicates a filtered set.
A gray field on the Filters shelf indicates a context filter.
The delta icon indicates that the field is a table calculation.
The plus and minus controls appear when the field is part of a hierarchy that you can
traverse.
The arrow icon indicates that a forecast is being displayed for the field. This icon is also
used on the Forecast Indicator field, which is an automatic field used to distinguish between
actual and forecast values. See Forecasting.
The field is from a secondary data source.
The field is assigned to a specific worksheet.
The field is assigned to all worksheets with the same data source.
The field is incompatible with one or more other fields in the view.

Fields on the Marks card

Fields placed on the Marks card use specific icons to describe how they appear in the view. See Mark Properties.
Visual Cue

Description
The field is applied to Color on the Marks card.
The field is applied to Size on the Marks card.
The field is applied to Label on the Marks card.
The field is applied to Shape on the Marks card.
The field is applied to Path on the Marks card. Path is only available when the Line or
Polygon mark type is selected from the Marks drop-down menu.

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Keyboard Shortcuts General Keyboard Shortcuts

Tableau keyboard shortcuts are listed below.
Keyboard Shortcut

Description

Windows

Ctrl+A

Select all data

Ctrl+B

Smaller cell size

Ctrl+Shift +B

Bigger cell size

Ctrl+C

Copy selected data

Ctrl+Alt+C

Place selected field on Columns shelf

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Ctrl+D

Connect to data source

Ctrl+E

Describe sheet

Ctrl+F

Makes the find command in the Data window active

Ctrl+Alt+F

Place selected field on Filters shelf

Enter/Exit Full Screen

F7 , Ctrl+H

Switch in and out of Presentation Mode

Ctrl+Alt+I

Place selected field on Size

Ctrl+L

Flip orientation of column labels at bottom of view

Ctrl+Alt+L

Place selected field on Detail

Ctrl+M

New worksheet

Ctrl+N

New workbook

Ctrl+O

Open file

Ctrl+Alt+O

Place selected field on Color

Ctrl+P

Print

Ctrl+Alt+P

Place selected field on Pages shelf

Ctrl+Alt+R

Place selected field on Rows shelf

Ctrl+S

Save file

Ctrl+Alt+S

Place selected field on Shape

Ctrl+Alt+T

Place selected field on Text/Label

Ctrl+V

Paste clipboard

Ctrl+W

Swap rows and columns

Ctrl+X

Cut text selection (e.g., in captions, titles, formulas, etc.)

Ctrl+Alt+X

Place selected field on Rows shelf

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Ctrl+Y

Redo

Ctrl+Alt+Y

Place selected field on Columns shelf

Ctrl+Z

Undo

Ctrl+Alt+Backspace

Clear the current worksheet

Ctrl+(left arrow)

Make rows narrower

Ctrl+(right arrow)

Make rows wider

Ctrl+(down arrow)

Make columns shorter

Ctrl+(up arrow)

Make columns taller

Ctrl+1 , Ctrl+Shift+1 , Ctrl+ Show Me!

!
Enter

Add the selected field to the sheet. Only works with a single field

F1

Opens the Help

Ctrl+F4

Deletes the selected sheet (on a dashboard)

Alt+F4

Closes the current workbook

F4

Starts and stops forward playback on the pages shelf

Shift+F4

Starts and stops backward playback on the pages shelf

F5

Refreshes the data source

Ctrl+.

Skip forward one page

Ctrl+,

Skip backward one page

Ctrl+Tab , Ctrl++F6

Cycle forward through open worksheets

Ctrl+Shift+Tab , Ctrl+Shift+ Cycle backward through open worksheets

F6
F9

Run update

F10

Toggles Automatic Updates on and of

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F12

Reverts workbook to last saved state

Esc

Clears the selection (Desktop and Reader only)

Navigation and Selection Shortcuts

In addition to the standard keyboard shortcuts there are several key combinations that can make navigating and
selecting marks fast and easy.
Keyboard/Mouse Action

Description

Click

Selects the mark

Drag

Selects a group of marks

Ctrl+Click

Adds individual marks to the selection

Ctrl+Drag

Adds a group of marks to the selection

Shift+Drag , Click and

Hold+Drag

Pans around the view

Double-click , Ctrl+Shift+Click

Zooms into a point in the view (requires zoom mode if not map)

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Click

Zooms out from a point on a map (requires zoom mode if not

map)

Shift+Double-click

Zooms out

Ctrl+Shift+Drag

Zooms into an area in the view (requires zoom mode if not map)

Ctrl+Scroll

Zooms in and out on a map (Desktop and Reader only)

Click+Drag to bottom of
pane+Hold

Drags a row and scrolls through a long list simultaneously

Field Selection Shortcuts

There are several key and mouse combinations that can make creating a view and selecting fields fast and easy.
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Keyboard/Mouse Description
Action
Right-click+Drag
to shelf

Opens the Drop Field menu

Ctrl+Drag

Copies a field in the view to be placed on another shelf or card

Double-click

Adds a field to the view

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