INTRODUCTION TO

Introduction to Tableau

Tableau is a powerful tool used for data analysis and visualization. It allows the
creation of amazing and interactive visualization and that too without coding.

Tableau is very famous as it can take in data and produce the required data
visualization output in a very short time. Basically, it can elevate your data into
insights that can be used to drive your action in the future.
 Tableau is a visual analytics platform that is
revolutionizing the way we use data to solve
problems by enabling individuals and
organisations to make the most of their data.

What is Tableau is a great data visualization and

business intelligence application that can be
used to report and analyse massive amounts of

Tableau?
data. Salesforce purchased Tableau in June
2019, an American firm founded in 2003.

It enables users to build various charts, graphs,

maps, dashboards, and stories for visualising
and analysing data in order to aid in business
choices. Tableau offers several unique and
fascinating features that make it one of the
most popular business intelligence (BI)
applications.
 Tableau is the fastest and most powerful
visualization tool.

Why use It is very easy to use. There are no complex

formulas like Excel and other visualization tools.
It provides the features like cleaning,

Tableau? organizing, and visualizing data, it easier to

create interactive visual analytics in the form of
dashboards.

These dashboards make it easier for non-

technical analysts and end-users to
convert data into understandable ones.
 ● Tableau Desktop: helps access, visualize, and
analyze your data. With an intuitive drag and drop
interface, you can uncover hidden insights and
make smarter decisions faster.

● Tableau Public: a free platform to explore, create

Tableau
and publicly share data visualizations online. With
the largest repository of data visualizations in the
world to learn from, Tableau Public makes
developing data skills easy.

Products ● Tableau Prep: a data preparation tool that makes

it easier and faster to combine shape and clean
data for analysis

● Tableau Cloud: fast, flexible, easy-to-use self-

service platform. Prepare your data, author,
analyze, collaborate, publish and share in the
cloud.

● Tableau Server: Helps Organizations to host and

manage Tableau Data Sources, workbooks, reports
created on Tableau Public.
 ● Tableau supports powerful data discovery
and exploration that enables users to
answer important questions in seconds

Tableau
● No prior programming knowledge is
needed; users without relevant
experience can start immediately with
creating visualizations using Tableau

Features ● It can connect to several data sources

that other BI tools do not support. Tableau
enables users to create reports by joining
and blending different datasets

● Tableau Server supports a centralized

location to manage all published data
sources within an organization
 There are two types of values in the tableau:
● Dimensions: Values that are
discrete(which can not change with

Values in
respect to time) in nature called
Dimension in tableau. Example: city
name, product name, country name.

Tableau ● Measures: Values that are

continuous(which can change with respect
to time) in nature called Measure in
tableau. Example: profit, sales, discount,
population.
 ● Quick calculation- All the calculations on
the tableau done by the backend, so it is
relatively faster than any other tool.

● Interactive dashboards– Tableau

dashboards are very interactive and easy

Advantages
to draw.

● No manual calculation- All the calculations

of Tableau
are done by the tableau only. There is no
manual calculation, but in some specific
cases, we used calculated fields for
calculation.

● A large amount of data- Tableau can

handle a large amount of data. Different
types of visualization can be created with
a large amount of data without impacting
the performance of the dashboards.
 ● High Cost- tableau is a paid tool for
visualization, and it is a reason why
people are not using tableau so much.

Disadvantages ● Static and single value parameters-

Tableau’s parameters are static and
always single value can be selected using

of Tableau a parameter. Whenever the data gets

changed, these parameters need to be
updated manually every time.

● Limited Data Preprocessing- Tableau is

strictly a visualization tool. Tableau
Desktop allows you to do very basic
preprocessing.
Getting Started with
Tableau
Types of Data Sources and
Connecting to Data
Types of Data Sources and
Connecting to Data
● What are the different types
of data sources that Tableau
can connect to?

● Using the provided dataset,

how would you connect it to
Tableau?

Data
Navigating the Tableau
Interface
Data Types
In Tableau, we have seven primary data types. The
function of Tableau is to automatically detect the data
types of various fields, as soon as the data is uploaded
from the source and allocate it to the fields. These seven
data types are:

● String values
● Number/Integer values
● Date values
● Date & Time values
● Boolean values
● Geographic values
● Cluster or mixed values
● What are the primary data
types in Tableau, and how
are they identified?

● Identify the data types for

fields like Sales, Region, and
Order Date.

Data
About Metadata Grid
The metadata grid allows you to get a glance of the fields
you have imported, the source tables, and the remote
field name (the name of the field as it is in the data
source).
What is the purpose of the
Metadata Grid in Tableau?

How can you edit metadata

for fields like Category and
Sub-Category?
Worksheet vs Dashboard
 DASHBOARD

A dashboard is a collection of views from

multiple worksheets. The Dashboard and
Layout panes are available in its side bar.

WORKSHEET

A worksheet contains a single view along

with shelves, cards, legends, and the Data
and Analytics panes in its side bar.
WORKSHEET
DASHBOARD
Creating the first
Visualization
What are the steps to create
a bar chart showing sales by
region?

How can you save this

visualization for future use?

Data
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Building Blocks in Tableau

What are Dimensions and
Measures
Measure and Dimension
● Dimensions and Measures are the way Tableau organizes the data
● Top -> Dimensions; Bottom -> Measures

Dimensions are Categorical, descriptive and qualitative. It

represents the qualities of something.
PS: It doesn’t have to be a word, it can also be in number form, e.g Record ID, Contact
Number, Zip Code

Measure means amount or degree, a measure is a property on

which calculations (SUM, MIN, AVG, MAX) can be made. It is
quantitative, numeric and typically aggregated.
● Blue Pills mean Dimensions
● Green Pills mean Measures
Define dimensions and
measures?

Identify them in the dataset.

Data
Blue Pills VS Green PIlls -
Fields/Columns
Blue & Green Pills

Dimension = Discrete (Blue Pills)

Measures = Continuous (Green
Pills)
What do blue and green pills
represent in Tableau?

Provide examples of fields

from the dataset that are
discrete and continuous.

Data
Discrete and Continuous
Values
What is Discrete Data
● Discrete means separate, distinct, or individual.
● Discrete data is data that can be grouped into different categories.
● It has distinct values
● Example is the “Category”, “Region” fields in the Superstore Dataset
● Discrete Data has marks ( one mark for each unique value in discrete
field)
● Discrete fields are often used to create headers for rows or columns
● The more the discrete fields, the more the marks
● Blue means Discrete, Discrete means creating marks
● E.g Student grade (a-f), color…..limited scope.
What is Continuous Data
● Continuous means without a pause or interruption
● Continuous data can be measured on a continuous scale
● Continuous data has an infinite number of values
● Example is the “Sales”, “Profit”, ‘Quantity” field in the dataset
● Tableau will aggregate the data whenever continuous data is placed in view
● Continuous data has just one mark in view as it is aggregated
● If you combine Discrete field with continuous fields, Tableau splits up continuous
field based on the number of marks in the discrete one
● Green means continuous; continuous means aggregate
● The green pills create axis. E.g Age, Price
How do discrete and
continuous values affect
visualizations?

Demonstrate this using Sales

and Region fields.

Data
Aggregation and
Granularity
Granularity and Aggregation
● Granularity refers to the level of detail in the data.
● Aggregation refers to the process of combining multiple data points to produce
a singular value.
● Example
● Example of Granularity in data is showing Sales data daily (each day), monthly
(each month), yearly (each year)
● Example of aggregation in data is showing sales data on monthly level (summing
up all daily sales for each month)
● Aggregate functions: SUM, AVG, COUNT…
What is the importance of
aggregation and granularity
in Tableau?

Create a visualization
showing average sales by
region.
Marks Pane
Marks pane is a visual representation of one or more rows in a
data source. It allows users to change the type, color, size, label,
and tooltip of each mark.
Here are some things you can do with marks in Tableau:

● Control appearance
Change the type of marks, show or hide mark labels, move
marks, stack marks, and use color palettes and effects
● Add analytical context
Get the most out of your data points by changing their mark
type, color, size, label, and tooltip
● Increase level of detail
Place fields on shelves or cards to increase the level of
detail and control the number of marks in the view
What is the purpose of the
Marks Pane?

How can you use it to

customize a line chart for
sales trends?

Data
Show Me Tab
Show Me tab in Tableau is a tool that helps users create views
based on the fields they've selected:

How to use Show Me

To use Show Me, you can:
● Click Show Me on the toolbar
● Choose the fields to analyze in the Data pane
● Select the type of view to create in the Show Me pane

What Show Me does

Show Me automatically evaluates the selected fields and suggests
suitable chart types. It can be used to create a line chart, scatter
plot, or table.

Why use Show Me

Show Me can be used to learn how Tableau interacts with
measures and dimensions. It can also be used to automate
presentation by providing predefined views for users to start their
analysis
What is the "Show Me" tab,
and how does it help in
creating visualizations?

Use it to create a scatter plot

for Sales vs. Profit.

Data
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Basic Charts in Tableau

Basic Charts
in Tableau
 Bar Chart

For the bar chart, we need 0 or more

dimensions and 1 or more measures.

To create a bar chart, simply select the

desired dimensions and measures and
then select the bar chart on the SHOW
ME section, or drag the dimensions in a
column and measure in a row.
 Pie Chart

For the pie chart, we need 1 or more

dimensions and 1 or 2 measures. To
create a pie chart, simply select the
desired dimensions and measures and
then select Pie chart on the SHOW ME
section.
 Stacked Bar Chart

For the stacked bar chart, we need 1 or

more dimensions and 1 or more
measures. To create a stacked bar chart,
simply select the desired dimensions and
measures and then select the stacked bar
chart on the SHOW ME section.
 Line Chart

For the line chart, we need 1 date, 0 or

more dimensions, and 1 or more
measures. To create a line chart, simply
select the desired dimensions and
measures and then select the line chart
on the SHOW ME section.
 Packed Bubbles Chart

For the packed bubbles chart, we need 1

or more dimensions and 1 or 2 measures.
To create a packed bubble chart simply
select the desired dimensions and
measures and then select the packed
bubbles chart on the SHOW ME section.n.
What are the steps to create the
following charts?

● Bar chart for sales by

category.

● Line chart showing sales

trends over time.

● Pie chart for profit

distribution by region.

Data
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Tableau Filters
Introduction
● Filters are a fundamental part of of Tableau - they are used to narrow down data.

● Filters are a powerful tool that allows you interact with your data, enabling you to
focus on specific information within your visualizations.

● A filter is used to extract needed information or rows by specifying a condition.

● We will explore different filters available in Tableau and how you can use them to
gain insight from your data
Data Source Filters
What are data source filters, and
when should they be used?

Apply a filter to exclude orders

with Sales < $100.

Data
Measures Filters
How can you filter data based
on measures like Profit?

Create a filter to show only

profitable regions.

Data
Dimension Filters
How do you apply filters to
dimensions such as Region?

Filter to show data for the

"West" region only.

Data
Top N filters
How can you create a filter to
display the top 10 products by
sales?

Data
Tooltip Filters
What are tooltip filters, and how
can they enhance interactivity?

Add a tooltip filter to show

detailed sales data when
hovering over regions.

Data
Date Filters
How do you apply filters to
specific date ranges?

Filter data to show sales for the

last quarter of 2023.

Data
Extract Filters
What are extract filters, and how
do they differ from other filters?

Apply an extract filter to exclude

data from 2019.

Data
Best Practices
● Keep Filters relevant to your analysis goals.

● Use measure and dimension filters for user interactivity.

● Optimize data source filters for performance.

● Document your filters to ensure transparency and understanding.

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Time Series
Working with Time Series
Data
How can you analyze trends
over time using Order Date?

Create a visualization to display

monthly sales trends.

Data
Discrete and Continuous
Date
What is the difference between
discrete and continuous dates?

Demonstrate this difference

using Order Date.

Data
Reference Line
How do you add a reference line
to a visualization?

Add a reference line showing the

average monthly sales.

Data
Forecasting
What are the steps to forecast
future sales using Tableau?

Create a forecast for sales in

2024.

Data
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Data Prep & Modelling

Data Preparation with
Interpreter
What does Tableau Data Interpreter do when
applied to the Orders sheet?

Can the Data Interpreter identify any issues

in the Orders sheet?

Interpreter Data
Restructuring Data with
Pivot
Union
Pivot is an operation that allows tableau users to appropriately
reshape their data.
Pivot is used to transform data from a Wide format to a Long
format which is most suitable for analysis and visualization.
 ● How can you use pivoting to restructure
product sales data for easier analysis?

● When would you use pivoting to analyze

the product sales data?

Pivot Data
Modelling
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Blending vs Joining and

Relationships
Relationship
Relationships are a dynamic and flexible way to combine data from multiple tables
for analysis. You don’t define join types for relationships, so you won’t see a Venn
diagram when you create them.

Characteristics of Relationships

● There must be a common field between tables for them to relate

● Relationships occur in the logical layer
● Tables do not join so all their fields and records are retained
● You don’t define join type
● Tableau automatically chooses the join logic during analysis
● Do not duplicate & aggregate values.
 Blending VS Joining
A Join is a technique for horizontally Blending is a method of combining data
combining data from different tables into a in Tableau, which combines data across
single table or dataset. different data sources e.g.

A row of one table joins to at least 1 row Data from a SQL server merged with data
from the other table. For join to occur, from a CSV.
there must be a common field(column)
between the two tables.

● Inner Join
● Left Outer Join
● Right Outer Join
● Full Outer Join
 Blending VS Joining
Characteristics of Join Characteristics of Blending
● Join occurs at the physical layer ● There must be a common field between the
● There must be a common field between the datasets to be blended
involved tables and they must have the ● Datasets are merged across different data
same data type sources
● Operation is done at the Tableau worksheet
● A single table is generated
level
● It requires the selection of join type, for that
● Blending applies the Left Outer Join as the logic
reason, Joins are rigid and static
for merging datasets
● When join occurs between tables with ● Different data blending operations can be
different levels of details, duplication occurs defined for every sheet in a workbook.
● Unmatched records could be truncated from ● Data sources are queried independently and are
tables. aggregated
● Datasets from the secondary data source are
forced to comply with the aggregation of the
primary data source
● What happens when you join the Orders
and Returns sheets?

● How would you blend data from the

Orders and Returns sheets to calculate
the percentage of returned orders?

● How can relationships in Tableau help

link the Orders and People sheets?

Data

BLENDING -1 BLENDING -2
Union
Union is a method of vertically combining data where a table is
appended to another table.
For a union to happen, the headers and data types of the
primary table must be the same as the incoming tables.
● How can you combine multiple monthly
sales datasets using a union?

● What issues might arise when combining

data with unions, and how can you
resolve them?

Union Data
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Building your first

Dashboard
Case Study: Optimizing Sales
Performance for
Just-store
Data
 Business Overview
Just-store operates in a competitive retail
market, offering diverse products. The
company targets individual and corporate
customers across multiple geographies.

As it expands its reach, understanding sales

performance, customer segments, and
operational efficiency is critical.
 Problem Statement
● Sales performance varies significantly
across regions.
● High customer churn in specific
categories.
● Suboptimal product profitability and
underperforming product segments.
● Limited understanding of time-series
trends for planning.
● Inconsistent data preparation methods
leading to inefficiencies.
 Aim of Project
● Explore and analyze Just-store's sales
performance across regions, categories,
and time.
● Identify high-performing and
underperforming products and
segments.
● Optimize the decision-making process
with actionable insights.
● Develop a Tableau dashboard for
efficient data visualization and real-time
decision support.
.
● What key metrics (e.g., Sales, Profit,
Quantity) should be included in your
dashboard?

● What do the Sales by different Region

look like?

● How can you use filters to analyze data

by region or category?

● How would you visualize sales trends

over time in a dashboard?

● What chart type is best for comparing

sales and profit by category?
Dashboard
Dashboard