Created by Yash Mirge

Tableau
Quick
Notes

- Yash Mirge
 Created by Yash Mirge

Tableau is a Business Intelligence tool used to analyze data visually. Using Tableau, users can
create shareable and interactive dashboards that show trends and variations in the form of
graphs and charts. It can connect to files, big data, and relational sources to obtain data and
process them, all at great ease.

Topics covered in this article:

1. What makes Tableau great?

· No prior technical knowledge is needed.

· Connection to all kinds of data sources including MS Excel, web data, and warehouses is
possible.

· It can produce interactive and visual presentations within seconds rather than months and
years.

· The data visualization helps in business growth and profits.

· It provides good business insights.

· It is simple and easy to study and operate because of the simple drag and drop interface.

2. Design Flow
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3. Data Types

4. Data Terms

5. Data Sources

Tableau supports almost all the popular data sources. Some of them include:

· File Systems: CSV, Excel, etc.

· Rational Databases: Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, etc.

· Cloud Systems: Windows Azure, Google BigQuery, etc.

· Other sources that use ODBC.

6. Custom View

The custom data view is used to extend the normal data view with some additional features.
Some of the commonly used custom views include:

· Drill Down View: We may need to know the result of previous or next level of aggregation in
case of fields that are a part of a hierarchy. Right-click a table header and click Drill Down from
the context menu to drill up and down.

· Swapping Dimensions: We can create a new view from an existing view. Swapping the
position of the dimensions will do the task. You can perform this task by clicking on the vertical
line present at the end of the category column and dragging it to the segment column.
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7. Extract Data

A subset of data can be created using data extraction. The data extract feature of Tableau is
used to access data offline.

· Create an extract: An extract can be created by clicking on the Extract Data option from Data
menu.

· Apply extract filters: Filters can be created to extract a subset of data from the data source.
For doing this, click on the Select from list option from the filter option and tick mark the
checkbox for which you need the data.

· Add New Data to an Extract: To add more data to an already created extract, click Data >>
Extract >> Extract Data from File and then browse the file and click OK button.

· Extract History: Extract history can be seen by clicking on Extract History from Datamenu.

8. Field Operations

Many features are provided by Tableau to manipulate the fields present in the data plane. Some
of the important field operations are discussed below:

· Add Fields to Worksheet: To add fields to worksheet click on the right mouse button and then
click on the Add to Sheet option.

· Combine two Fields: You can create a combined field by clicking the right mouse button and
further choosing the Create Combined Field option from the Create menu. The name of the
created field will be the combination of the combined fields.

· Search Fields: The search option is provided by Tableau to search names of the fields.

· Reordering Fields: The position of fields can be changed by dragging them up or down.

9. Data Blending

Data blending feature is useful when we want to analyze related data from multiple data
sources in a single view. It is a compelling feature in Tableau. Steps involved in Data Blending:

· Preparing data for blending: Click Data >> New Data Source and then choose the data
source.

· Adding Secondary Data Source: For adding a secondary data source, follow the same steps
Data >> New Data Source and then choose the data source.

· Data Blending: Now, it is possible to integrate the data from the above sources.
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10. Operators

Any symbol that tells the compiler to perform some mathematical or logical operations is an
operator.
· Tableau supports different operators for creating formulas and calculated fields.
· Different operators that are supported by Tableau include:

o General Operators (+, -)

o Arithmetic Operators (* ,/, %, ^)

o Comparison Operators (==, =, !=, <>, >, <)

o Logical Operators (AND, OR, NOT)

11. Functions

In Tableau, the calculations are applied to the fields being analyzed using the calculation
editor. Tableau has many inbuilt functions that help in creating expressions. Some of them are
discussed below:

Number Functions: They are used for numerical operations. They take only numeric values as
input. Examples of number functions include:

String Functions: They are used for string manipulations.

Logical Functions: This evaluates the expression and gives a boolean output.

Date Functions: Tableau has a number of date functions.

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Aggregate Functions

12. Level of Detail Expressions

Level of Detail expressions (also known as LOD expressions) allow you to compute values at the
data source level and the visualization level. However, LOD expressions give you even more
control over the level of granularity you want to compute. They can be performed at a more
granular level (INCLUDE), a less granular level (EXCLUDE), or an entirely independent level
(FIXED). Types of LOD Expressions:
· FIXED LOD Expressions: It calculates values using specified dimensions without having any
reference to other expressions in the view.
· INCLUDE LOD Expressions: In addition to the expressions in the view, it calculates values
using specified dimensions.
· EXCLUDE LOD Expressions: It subtracts the dimensions from the view level.

13. Sorting

Sorting is an important feature of data analysis. Tableau allows sorting data in the fields, called
as dimensions. There are two types of sorting in Tableau:
· Computed Sorting: In this sorting, select the field to be sorted and then apply sort using the
Sort dialog box.
· Manual Sorting: Here, you need to manually position the fields by dragging them one after the
other.
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14. Filtering

Filtering is the process of removing a value or a range of values from the result set. Tableau
supports both simple filters as well as context-based or advanced calculation filters. There are
three types of filters in Tableau. They are:
· Filter Dimensions: Filter applied to dimensional fields
· Filter Measures: Filter applied in measure fields
· Filter Dates: Filter applied on date fields

15. Context Filter

There are cases where we want a process the records returned by another filter.
Here, the second filter is called dependent filter since it processes, the data passed through the
context filter. Purposes of Context Filters:
· Improves performance
· Creates a dependent numerical or top N filter

16. Groups

· Tableau allows creating groups to combine the related members in a field.

· Groups help us to correct errors and answer “what if” questions.
· After creating a group in Tableau, you still have an option to group all the remaining members in
a group called Other Group. Steps involved in creating Other Group include:
· You can make changes to the added group. The changes may be: Adding or removing group
members, creating new groups, changing the default group names and changing the names of
grouped field.

17. Sets

A custom field that defines a subset of data on some conditions is called a set. It can be used to
compare and ask questions about the subsets of the data.

Creating a Set
· Right-click a field under the Dimensions in the Data pane and then select Create>Set.
· Configure the set you need in the Create Set dialog box that follows.
· Then click on OK button.

Combine Sets
· Select the two sets you want to combine, under the Sets in the Data pane.
· Click on Create Combined Set after right-clicking the sets.
· Now, you can see the Create Set dialog box. Give a name for the combined set, verify the sets
and select how to combine the two sets.
· Finally, click on OK button.

Editing Sets
· Edit the values that it contains
· Change the name of the set
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18. Crosstab

A crosstab in Tableau is otherwise called Text Table. The crosstab consists of one or more
dimensions and one or more measures. It can perform various calculations on the values of the
measured field.

19. Charts

This section focuses on different kinds of charts in Tableau. The subtopics that will be covered
include:

Bar Chart

Bubble Chart

Scatter Plot

Gantt Chart

Histograms

Treemap
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Bump Chart

Waterfall Chart

20. Dashboard

· A dashboard is a consolidated view of many worksheets and its related information in a single
place.
· This helps in monitoring and comparing a variety of data simultaneously.
· We can view different data views at once.