Tableau Prep Training Overview

Sep 21, 2024

Tableau Prep Training Notes

Introduction

  • Speaker: Mara Key, Product Manager for Tableau Prep
  • Purpose: Walkthrough of Tableau Prep and its features.
  • Over 4,000 beta participants shaped product features.
  • Hands-on training session included.

Why Tableau Prep?

  • Aim: Help analysts clean and prepare data for analysis more easily.
  • Common frustrations with existing tools like Excel and scripting in SQL or Python.
  • Many users do not realize data isn't ready for analysis until they reach Tableau.
  • Tableau Prep provides a solution for data manipulation and preparation.

Key Features of Tableau Prep

  • Users can easily clean, manipulate, and prepare data.
  • Interactive flow pane shows all data manipulations.
  • Profile pane provides summaries and relationships between values.
  • Data grid gives a spreadsheet-like view of data.

Hands-On Training Overview

  1. Connecting to Data
    • Open Tableau Prep and connect to data source (e.g., CSV file).
    • Input experience shows columns and sample values.
  2. Grouping Values
    • Example: Grouping donor potential classifications (e.g., "Mead" to "Medium").
    • Use smart algorithms in Tableau Prep to automatically group similar values.
  3. Previewing Data
    • Check data readiness before analysis by previewing in Tableau Desktop.
  4. Creating Output
    • Users can export clean data as Hyper, TDE, or CSV.
    • Can publish data to Tableau Server or Tableau Online.

Data Preparation Example

  • Scenario: Nonprofit organization analyzing donations.
  • Steps include connecting to CSV, adding steps, grouping values, and previewing data.

Join Experience

  1. Connecting to Multiple Data Sources
    • Example: Joining internet users and population data from two Excel files.
  2. Creating Joins
    • Drag and drop to create joins.
    • Understand join clauses and how to clean mismatched values.
  3. Using Custom Split
    • Split values by custom delimiters, e.g., hyphens for country names.
  4. Handling Excluded Values
    • Adjust join types (inner, right, full outer) to include all necessary data.

Saving and Sharing Work

  • Save flows as raw files or TFLX (equivalent to TWBX).
  • Share with team members for collaborative data preparation.

Learning Resources

  • Instructor-led classrooms available in various cities.
  • Free online content and skill pills for learning Tableau Prep.
  • Importance of user feedback in shaping future product functionalities.
  • Engage with the community forums for questions and ideas.

Conclusion

  • Tableau Prep is still evolving with monthly updates and new features.
  • For more information or questions, reach out via email.
  • Encourage participation in upcoming training and community discussions.

Note: The session included a Q&A segment addressing specific use-cases like filtering out variations in client names.