Version Update
Usually Tableau releases one update per quarter. In this blog post we’ll go through some of the features added in the first release of 2024 (2024.1).
The following list show all features added in the 2024.1 release:
- Tableau Pulse
Tableau Pulse is now available for both in Tableau Cloud and Tableau Mobile.
It uses generative AI to automate the summary of insights in natural language, anticipate user questions, and highlight key metrics, simplifying the process for all users to access insights on a daily basis.
As part of Pulse there is also the Tableau Pulse Metrics Layer. This layer is a type of governance layer where you can go through metrics defined in your org, it sits on top of the data sources and shows:
- The key metrics that matter most to users
- What the data represents, including semantics such as whether an increase in the data is favorable or not
- How metrics relate to one another
A metric layer incorporates the definition of what the data represents, including semantics such as whether an increase in the data is favorable. In Tableau Pulse, the Metrics Layer can understand the underlying business semantics associated with user queries. This, in turn, powers Tableau Pulse to answer better the what and why questions business users pose when asking for a specific metric.
Tableau Pulse Insights Platform
2. Visualization Navigation
Visualization Navigation, also known as Viz Navigation for Text Tables, presents a new method of data exploration without the use of your mouse. Simply use the tab key on your keyboard to navigate to a table. Upon pressing Enter to access the visualization, hit Enter again to navigate the marks. Subsequently. You can also use the arrow keys to navigate across columns, rows, and headers. Additionally, the View Data experience has also been changed, with Shift + Enter you can enter the View Data view.
The following gif from the Tableau blog shows of the feature:
https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/2024-02/VizNavigation_10fps.gif
3. Identify duplicate rows
Tableau Prep has been updated to now also identify duplicate records in your data set. Now, you can easily identify duplicates with a few clicks and visually see examples of the duplicates.
More details for the other features of the update can be found on the official Tableau website:
https://www.tableau.com/products/new-features
Click here to see the entire list
Upcoming
- Data exploration with Einstein Copilot
In the summer of 2024 we can expect an update so that we can use Einstein Copilot to help us with exploring our data in Tableau. Additionally later this year Einstein will likely also be incorporated within Tableau Prep and Tableau Catalog.
- Further updates to Tableau Pulse
- Incremental Extracts with Subrange Refresh
- Viz Extensions
This feature is currently available in Tableau Beta Preview.
Viz Extensions enable the loading of additional visualization types onto the Tableau worksheet Marks card. For Tableau authors, this enhancement simplifies the process of creating visual designs, which can then be shared via the Tableau Exchange and with the Tableau Community. We would be able to bring custom visualizations into Tableau’s analytics capabilities.
- Multi-fact Analysis
With multi-fact analysis you’ll be able to relate fact tables that don’t have anything in common with tables that do have shared dimensions (eg: Geography, Time, …). At moment you’ll have to merge the fact tables together or do other workarounds to prevent circular reference from being created.
Interesting Reads
- Inline Bar Charts
The following YouTube video shows how to create inline bar charts
- 6 ‘advanced’ visualizations in Tableau
An article that shows you how to create the following types of visualizations. It also contains example dashboards where these are being used:
- Donut Charts
- Sankey Diagrams
- Word Clouds
- Lollipop Charts
- Radial Charts
- Nested Bar Chart
https://towardsdatascience.com/6-advanced-visualizations-in-tableau-71ca97fb10a9
- Dashboard overlay
This article displays a nice way to annotate your dashboard in Tableau:
https://brittanyrosenau.medium.com/create-a-dashboard-overlay-entirely-in-tableau-a8e9543979e5
- Tableau Pulse
An interesting walkthrough of some of the Pulse features using sales data.
https://medium.com/@sheelapadhy1996/generative-ai-in-tableau-with-mysql-c260e8983311
Conclusion
This was a rather short update. But the next blog post will likely have a lot more interesting new with the Tableau Conference and the 2024.2 update.