Tableau Prep Flashcards by Alicia Alcaraz

The _ tab allows you to select the connection to your data, which can be stored in a file (e.g., Excel), on a cloud server (e.g., BigQuery), or a different type of data storage solution.

Tableau Prep

Connections

(Image 1)

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How many ways are there to connect to your data?

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“Connection” Tab
“Connect to Data” button

(Image 1)

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How can you select the connection to your data?

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With the Connections tab at the upper left corner

e.g. Connections > To a File > Text File

Select “Connect to Data” at the top of screen (Middle-Left), above “Recent Flows”

(Image 1)

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The connection to your data can be stored [in a file/ on a cloud server/both]

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both

also a different type of data storage solution

(Image 1)

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How to edit an existing data flow

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Select “Open a Flow” (Above “Recent Flows”)

(Image 1)

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How to create a new data flow

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Select “Connect to Data” (Above “Recent Flows”)

(Image 1)

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What is an easy way to familiarize yourself with the functionalities available in Tableau Prep Builder?

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Open the 2 “Sample Flows” at the bottom of the screen and view how the data flows were set up and manipulate them
View “Training” and “Resources” on the “Discover” tab

(Image 1)

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T/F

After Connecting to the data, you need to update the parameter settings

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True

After connecting, you click the table on the left side and change the settings as needed

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What do the settings in Image 2 do? (first arrow)

Where will the column header and data values start?

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Column header will be the first row and the data values will start from the second row

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How do you make it so that from the excel datasource, the column header will be the first row in Tableau and the data values will start from the second row?

Tableau Prep

Connect to Data
Edit Paramater Setting
In Paramater Setting, Select “Set Header” under the “Field Names & Start Row” Section

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T/F

Tableau Prep Builder cannot detect various data types (e.g., dates, numeric values, strings) and relationships between data fields.

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False

Tableau Prep Builder can detect various data types (e.g., dates, numeric values, strings) and relationships between data fields.

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T/F

Tableau Prep is helpful for loading data from multiple data sources that have different data types

Tableau Prep

False

Tableau Prep is helpful for loading data from multiple data sources that have the same data types

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Tableau Prep is helpful for loading data from multiple data sources that have the same data types bc ___

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Tableau Prep Builder detects various data types (e.g., dates, numeric values, strings) and relationships between data fields.

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After opening the dataset, the second step is to _

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clean the dataset

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How do you clean a dataset?

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click on the + icon next to the dataset in the top workspace
select “Clean Step”

(Image 3)

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Change data types, grouping similar values together, and splitting column values is an example of _ in Tableau Prep

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Cleaning data

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How can you replace the negative values with null values in a column (let’s call it “Founded” column)?

What are the steps?

Image 6 shows what you have & what you want the chart to look like

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1- Get to “Clean Step”:

(click + icon next to the dataset in the top workspace
“Clean Step”) (Image 3)

2- Create a calculated field:

Select the “…” button in the Founded column
“Create Calculated Field”
“Custom Calculation” (Image 4)
Fill in “Field Name” with “Replace Negative with Nulls” &
write “IF [Founded] < 0 THEN NULL ELSE [Founded] END”)
“Save” (Image 5)

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T/F

Aggregating data allows you to adjust to the level of detail of your data table

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True

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Aggregating data allows you to _

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adjust to the level of detail of your data table

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T/F

Aggregating data allows you to combine data from multiple tables together that have different levels of detail.

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False

Aggregating data allows you to combine data from multiple tables together that have the same level of detail.

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T/F

Aggregating data allows you to combine data from multiple tables together that have the same level of detail.

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True

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How can you aggregate data in Tableau Prep?

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1- Add aggregate step to workflow canvas:

click + icon next to the dataset in the top workspace > “Aggregate” (Image 7) (Results in Image 8)

2- Add the appropriate fields:

drag and drop any additional fields on the “Additional Fields” panel” (left) onto the “Aggregated Fields” (right) ** Image 9**
Change to the appropriate aggretation (e.g. change from SUM to AVG)

See Image 10 for result

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How can you create a pivot in Tableau Prep?

Tableau Prep

1- Add “Pivot”:

click + icon next to the dataset in the top workspace > “Pivot” (Image 11)

2- Edit “Pivoted Fields” pane:

Select appropriate option: Columns to Rows VS Rows to Columns (Image 12)
Drag & Drop the appropriate fields to “Pivoted Fields” panel

How can you create a join in Tableau Prep?

(Assume that “Table 1” is already in the Flow and “Table 2” is already connected)

Tableau Prep

Create a Join interface:

Way 1: Drag “Table 1” to the right of “Table 2”
* Hover “Table 2” onto the RIGHT of “Table 1”
* drop it in the “Join” popup. (See Image 15 & 16 to see that the table can be original or cleaned)

Way 2 ** Add a Join Step**
1. Click + icon next to the dataset in the top workspace and select “Join”) (Image 3)
2. Hover Table 2 over to the LEFT of the Join step
3. Drop Table 2 into the “Add” popup. (Note that if you hover to the RIGHT/BELOW the Join step (using the Join/Union popups), it will create another Join/Union step. Not what we want. We want to add a Table to Join step we just created in step 1 of Way 2.)

After either Way 1 or 2, edit join type & the join clause

Results: Image 13

How can you create a union in Tableau Prep? (Assume that "Table 1" is already in the Flow and "Table 2" is already connected) ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Create a Union interface: 1a- (Way 1) **Drag "Table 1" below "Table 2"** * Hover "Table 2" UNDER "Table 1" and drop it in the "Union" popup. (See **Image 15 & 16** to see that the table can be original or cleaned.) 1b- (Way 2)** Add a Union Step** 1. Click + icon next to the dataset in the top workspace > "Union" **(Image 3)** 2. Hover the 2nd table over to the LEFT of the Union step 3. Drop into the "Add" popup. **(Image 17)** (Note that if you hover to the RIGHT or BELOW of the Union step (using the Join/Union popups), it will create another Join/Union step. Not what we want. We want to add a Table to the existing Union step.) Results: **Image 14**

The Union interface has info on **[matched/mismatched]** fields. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Both | Bonus: They are color coded by Table ## Footnote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tpgs5hCr2o 5:26

The Join interface has info on ____. * Join Result * Mismatched rows * Matched rows * Join Type * Join Clause ## Footnote Tableau Prep

All 5:26 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tpgs5hCr2o

# T/F To make your data run faster, rename steps to reflect their purpose or the transformation they perform. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

False **To make your flow easier to understand and maintain**, rename steps to reflect their purpose or the transformation they perform.

Using multi-field operations where possible helps to ___ ## Footnote Tableau Prep

minimize steps, avoiding unnecessary complexity

# T/F Using multi-field operations creates unnecessary complexity. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

False Using multi-field operations where possible **helps to minimize steps, avoiding unnecessary complexity**.

Which of these will simplify your workflow: * cleaning and validating data * limiting initial rows * using meaningful step names * using sampling * using calculated fields wisely * minimizing steps * filtering early ## Footnote Tableau Prep

* **Use meaningful step names**: Rename steps to reflect their purpose or the transformation they perform. This practice makes your flow easier to understand and maintain. * **Minimize steps**: While it’s important to break down your workflow into logical steps, avoid unnecessary complexity. Use multi-field operations where possible and consolidate steps that perform similar transformations.

Which of these will optimize preformance: * cleaning and validating data * limiting initial rows * using sampling * using calculated fields wisely * minimizing steps * filtering early ## Footnote Tableau Prep

* limiting initial rows * using sampling * filtering early

Apply filters as **[early/late/centric]** as possible in your flow to reduce the volume of data processed in subsequent steps. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

early

When exploring and building your flow, limit the number of [columns/rows] initially loaded to speed up performance. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

rows

To reduce the volume of data processed in subsequent steps, ____ ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Apply filters as early as possible in your flow

Where can you limit the number of rows initially loaded? ## Footnote Tableau Prep

In the input step setting

To speed up performance, ____ when exploring and building your flow ## Footnote Tableau Prep

limit the number of rows

Try to keep your columns below _ ## Footnote Tableau Prep

The more columns that are in your input data, the **[larger/smaller]** the number of rows that Prep will allow ## Footnote Tableau Prep

smaller

# T/F Prep will somtimes apply sampling if the number of rows in your dataset is larger than the maximum number of rows. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

False Prep will **only** apply sampling if the number of rows in your dataset is larger than the maximum number of rows. ## Footnote https://www.tableau.com/blog/how-to-use-sampling-in-tableau-prep

Prep will only apply sampling if ____ ## Footnote Tableau Prep

the number of rows in your dataset is larger than the maximum number of rows. ## Footnote https://www.tableau.com/blog/how-to-use-sampling-in-tableau-prep

Which of these will Ensure Data Quality: * cleaning and validating data * limiting initial rows * using sampling * using calculated fields wisely * minimizing steps * filtering early ## Footnote Tableau Prep

* **Clean and validate data**: Utilize the Clean step to address data quality issues such as duplicates, nulls, and outliers. Validate your data at various stages of the flow to ensure accuracy. * **Use calculated fields wisely**: Calculated fields are powerful for data transformation, but complex calculations can impact performance and readability.

The ____ is used to address data quality issues such as duplicates, nulls, and outliers. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Clean Step

# T/F Validate your data at early stages of the flow to ensure accuracy. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

False Validate your data **at various stages** of the flow to ensure accuracy.

# T/F Tableau Desktop focuses on data preperation & cleaning. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

False **Tableau Prep Builder** focuses on data preperation & cleaning.

Tableau Desktop VS Tableau Prep Builder What's their focus? ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Visualizing data & creating dashboards VS data preparation & cleaning

# T/F Tableau Prep has a coding interface. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

False

**Image 18** What happens if you click "Output"? ## Footnote Tableau Prep

**Image 19** Opens the Output pane

In the Output Pane, you can select the ____ & specify the ____. ## Footnote Tableau Prep

In the Output Pane, you can select the **type of output that you want to generate** & specify the **name and where you want to save the file**.

In Tableau Prep, you can publish your data as a data source to ____ or ____ * **Tableau Desktop** * **Tableau Public** * **Tableau Reader** * **Tableau Online** * **Tableau Server** ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud

In Tableau Prep Builder and Tableau Prep, you can output your flow to a published data source ## Footnote Tableau Prep

True ## Footnote https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_save_share.htm#Extract

How do you create a Tableau Data Source? ## Footnote Tableau Prep

Run your flow. A DataSource is automatically created. ## Footnote https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_save_share.htm#Extract

Steps to publish a flow | Hint: Publishes Tableau Prep workflow to Tableau Server/Cloud ## Footnote Tableau Prep

1. Open your flow in Tableau Prep Builder 2. Open the "Publish to Tableau Server dialog": From the top menu select "Server" > "Publish Flow" **Image 20** 3. Complete the fields for your platform: Projectm Name, Description, Tags, "Edit" (next to connections to edit connection setting/change authentication) **Image 24** 4. Click "Publish" (Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud opens automatically in your default browser on the flow Overview page.) ## Footnote https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_conductor_publish_flow.htm#run_flows

**Image 21** How do you publish the data source? | (Hint: **Image 22**) ## Footnote Tableau Prep

1. Create Output (select "Clean Orders+Returns" > click the plus icon > "Output" (similar to **Image 3**) (If the output is already made, click on the output to show the Output pane.) 2. Under "Save output to", select "Publish data source" > complete the following fields: Server, Project, Name, Description. (For Server: Input appropriate URL to the server. If you aren't signed in to a server you will be prompted to sign in.) 3. Under "Write Options", view the default write option to write the new data to your files and make any changes as needed. 2 Options: Create Table & Append to Table. 4. Click "Run Flow" to run flow & publish the data source | **Image 23** ## Footnote https://help.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/prep_save_share.htm#Extract

How do you change authentication when publishing a flow

On the "Publish Flow to Tableau Server", click "Edit" next to Connections