What Is Tableau and What Is a Tableau Report?
First founded in 2003, Tableau is a tool for data visualization and analytics that is primarily used for business intelligence. In addition to its software component, Tableau also boasts a community of forums, events, and other forms of connection that allow users and organizations to connect and share insights. Tableau’s software is accessible to a range of technical skill levels, making it a viable option for creating a report regardless of experience level. Before beginning a tableau report, however, there are some steps users should keep in mind to make the most of their experience.
Preparation: Choose the Right Tools
Beneath the Tableau umbrella, there are multiple types of software available to users. Knowing and understanding the variety of versions available is essential to selecting what is best for your individual tableau report.
See also: How to Untangle Your Data With an Integrated Process Strategy
Tableau Desktop
The desktop version of Tableau is intended for creating charts and reports and blending them into visualizations that are both innovative and comprehensive. The desktop app (appropriately called “Desktop”) allows the user to upload data from an assortment of sources, including but not limited to spreadsheets, SQL databases, and Google Analytics application data, in order to quickly transform numbers into visuals.
Beyond simply creating charts, Desktop enables the user to form a “dashboard,” which is essentially a collection of different visualizations, charts, and other user-created reports that allow the different reports to exist next to one anothe...