Book Image

Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x

By : Tristan Guillevin
Book Image

Getting Started with Tableau 2018.x

By: Tristan Guillevin

Overview of this book

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.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
Title Page
Copyright and Credits
Packt Upsell
Contributors
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Catching Up with Tableau 2018
Index

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 database can be very slow to analyze in Tableau. Also, if you are connected to an online database, you are dependent on the internet connection, and you won't be able to work offline.

For these reasons, I advise you to always work with an Extract.

Extract

When you create an Extract, Tableau copies your database into...