Book Image

Getting Started with Tableau 2019.2 - Second Edition

By : Tristan Guillevin
Book Image

Getting Started with Tableau 2019.2 - Second Edition

By: Tristan Guillevin

Overview of this book

Tableau is one of the leading data visualization tools and is regularly updated with new functionalities and features. The latest release, Tableau 2019.2, promises new and advanced features related to visual analytics, reporting, dashboarding, and a host of other data visualization aspects. Getting Started with Tableau 2019.2 will get you up to speed with these additional functionalities. The book starts by highlighting the new functionalities of Tableau 2019.2, providing concrete examples of how to use them. However, if you're new to Tableau, you won't have to worry as the book also covers the major aspects of Tableau with relevant examples. You'll learn how to connect to data, build a data source, visualize your data, build a dashboard, and even share data online. In the concluding chapters, you'll delve into advanced techniques such as creating a cross-database join and data blending. By the end of this book, you will be able to use Tableau effectively to create quick, cost-effective, and business-efficient Business Intelligence (BI) solutions.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
15
Index

Mapping is the star of the newest Tableau version. We'll cover the new MakePoint and MakeLine functions, as well as the new vector map. These two new features will allow you to enjoy building maps even more than before.

Since Tableau 10.2, you have been able to connect to a spatial file to create maps using the Geometry field (a Point, a Line, or a Polygon). Each new release brought new capabilities, such as using a spatial field directly from a database or the recent spatial join: Intersect. Tableau Desktop 2019.2 brings two new functionalities: MakePoint and MakeLine.

MakePoint and MakeLine are two new functions. MakePoint converts Latitude and Longitude into a spatial point. MakeLine takes two Points and creates a spatial Line. This allows you to create a path between two places on Earth by taking into account the curvature of the earth and joining spatial and nonspatial files with Latitude and Longitude.

Let's visualize the top 100 busiest air routes.

This file contains one hundred lines and provides information on the departure and arrival to airports, as well as the number of passengers.

Let's start:

  1. Open Tableau Desktop and select Microsoft Excel.
  2. Connect to the Flights.xlsx file you've just downloaded.
  3. On Sheet1, create a new calculated field. Name it Departure Point and write the following formula: MAKEPOINT([Departure Latitude],[Departure Longitude]).
  4. Create a second calculated field for the arrivals. Name it Arrival Point and write the following formula: MAKEPOINT([Arrival Latitude],[Arrival Longitude]).
  5. You have created two calculated fields that contain spatial points that are mapping the departure and arrival airports. You can test your fields by simply double-clicking on them.
  6. Create a final calculated field for the routes. Name it Air Routes and write the following formula: MAKELINE([Departure Point],[Arrival Point]).
  7. On a blank Worksheet, double-click on Air Routes; this will automatically generate all the paths on a map.
  8. To finalize the visualization, add the Route Dimension in Detail to separate each path, and add the Passengers Measure in Size and Color to visually spot the busiest routes. The following screenshot shows the final results:
    MakePoint and MakeLine (2019.2)

If, like me, you aren't new to Tableau, you will be impressed by how fast and easy it is to achieve this now. That's what we love about each new Tableau release: it always makes our analysis faster and easier to do.

As I said, mapping is the star, so let's continue with this new mapping style.