Tableau For Dummies

by Molly Monsey

Make your data work for you!

Tableau For Dummies brings order to the chaotic world of data. Understanding your data and organizing it into formats and visualizations that make sense to you are crucial to making a real impact on your business with the information that's already at your fingertips. This easy-to-use reference explores the user interface, and guides you through the process of connecting your data sources to the software. Additionally, this approachable, yet comprehensive text shows you how to use graphs, charts, and other images to bring visual interest to your data, how to create dashboards from multiple data sources, and how to export the visualizations that you have developed into multiple formats that translate into positive change for your business.

The mission of Tableau Software is to grant you access to data that, when put into action, will help you build your company. Learning to use the data available to you helps you make informed, grounded business decisions that can spell success for your company.

Navigate the user interface to efficiently access the features you need Connect to various spreadsheets, databases, and other data sources to create a multi-dimensional snapshot of your business Develop visualizations with easy to use drag and drop features Start building your data with templates and sample workbooks to spark your creativity and help you organize your information

Tableau For Dummies is a step-by-step resource that helps you make sense of the data landscape—and put your data to work in support of your business.

Genres: Business, Reference

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2015

Reviews

[Grumpus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find all of the "For Dummies" books an excellent primer for learning new things. This is no exception in providing a nice overview what what the application can do and how to do it. These books are never a one-and-done type of learning. You'll have to put in the time and also follow along in the training videos. Still, I always look for this type of book as a quick, easy-to-read overview.

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this book only 3 stars. Of course, I have only myself to blame. Having already had a fair bit of exposure to Tableau, I was looking for some good books to improve my skills. Going by the recommendations on a blog, I chose this book to begin with. Well, who am I kidding?! Everybody knows that ‘For Dummies’ series is just that, for dummies (absolute beginners). Having already dealt with Tableau, I found most of the content here to be too basic to be of any use to me.

Having said that, this is a good book, if you are an absolute beginner, having no idea about data visualization or Tableau. It will guide the learner step by step, starting from the menu options and toolbars. It also gives a fair bit of introduction into some of the advanced ways of Tableau. But it all stops only at the introductory level. Don’t expect yourself to become well-versed in Tableau by reading this book.

Another shortcoming is that this book has no practical exercises. It feels like a picture book for children, sharing screengrabs for every option. It tries to teach everything by mere theory, which, as we all know, isn’t the right way to learn anything, especially computer technology. Overall, this is good for those taking baby steps into Tableau. Nothing more than that.

[Patrick Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to using Tableau but it does not get much further than general definitions and basic examples. I believe you will learn more from the online video tutorials that Tableau provides for free.

If you do not have internet access or prefer to read rather than watch videos this will allow you to become proficient in the basics of using the software. If you already have some exposure to the system you can skip this book or just read the last 50 or so pages.

[Songhua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy-to-follow guide to get started on Tableau, be familiar with its navigation, and have a big picture understanding of its feature. It is however still insufficient in providing various examples/case studies of using it for deeper analysis.

[Kane See · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good intro to Tableau

[Andy Johnson]

Good book. Brief. Gave me good insight into how to use Tableau. Used the sample files included with the free download. If I ever need to use the program, I know where to look.

[Ritu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will be used as a reference.

[Sonnie George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book which covers almost all the features in Tableau

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book. Clear explanations, except for forecast (only part I can't do)

[Rafael Castrillo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not much better than the free online video tutorials from Tableau

The For Dummies books can be hit or miss: sometimes you get a really useful and insightful introduction to a subject, sometimes you get a book that just gives you the really basic stuff. This book is of the second kind. You get to see how the software works, but you get no insights into how to start improving your visualizations or anything of the kind. For it's price you are better off with the free videos in the website, this is just a glorified user's manual.

[Hailua]

Good Book