How Does Tableau Work?

Tableau works by gathering and extracting data that is stored in various places. It can extract data from any database. For example, it can take data from Excel, PDF, Oracle, or Amazon Web Services.

Tableau Reporting Tool

Tableau, in addition to being a data visualization tool, is also a reporting tool. Not only that, Tableau is the one of the leading tools in reporting and data visualization.

tableau reporting

What is Tableau?

Tableau is a visual analytics platform that helps any person or company see and understand their own data. Tableau is one of the fast-growing data visualizations tools and is often used in the business intelligence world. 

According to the company, it is an interactive data visualization software that is “transforming the way we use data to solve problems – empowering people and organizations to make the most of their data.” Tableau takes raw data and information and converts it into an easy-to-understand format. It makes it easier to spot patterns, trends, or correlations between data points when information is in a visual format.

Why Tableau?

Here are a few of the reasons to use Tableau for data visualization purposes for your own company: 

  • It provides real-time analysis; 
  • You can use it even if you lack any real technical knowledge;
  • Allow data collaboration; and 
  • Data blending. 

Also, Tableau features an interactive interface that allows anyone (even non-technical users) to quickly and easily create a customized dashboard. Your dashboard will give you insight into a variety of data and information about your business in an easy to digest visual manner. Even if you don’t have any coding knowledge or technical skills, you can still use Tableau.

Tableau

SEO Design Chicago can use Tableau to help your business make the most of your data. Tableau is a software that takes your company’s raw data and turns it into easily understandable visuals. It is vital for any business to be able to see and understand its data. That’s what Tableau is used for. Though there are many similar tools available, Tableau is the number one choice – and for a reason. We go the extra mile to run this software for you and help you make sense of the results. Tableau is just one of the analytics and data services we provide at SEO Design Chicago.

Using tableau

Get Help with Tableau from SEO Design Chicago

For help setting up and utilizing Tableau to see and understand your own data, contact SEO Design Chicago today! We have experience using Tableau to help our clients. Our team can utilize Tableau to cut the amount of time your team spends analyzing data and reports and instead give you this simple solution.

seo design chicago tableau

Tableau Report vs Dashboard

There are two different common methods of collecting and sharing data. These two methods are called reports and dashboards. In Tableau, you have the option of both creating reports and utilizing dashboards. 

Tableau Dashboards

A dashboard is a consolidated display of information in a single place. Tableau’s dashboards are shown as tabs at the bottom of its workbook. There is a wide variety of charts available in Tableau to help you create dashboards. You also have the option of sharing your dashboards as reports with other users within Tableau. 

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Tableau Reports

You can easily create reports in Tableau, too, with its easy and user-friendly drag-and-drop function. 

Tableau Product Suite

Tableau has several products available in its product suite. Some of these products include Tableau Desktop, Tableau Reader, Tableau Server, & Tableau Online. We will explain more in detail about each of these products below, what each is used for, and how each can help your company. 

What is Tableau Desktop?

Tableau desktop is Tableau’s data engine. The Tableau desktop helps you create the reports and dashboards with the data collected by the software. The data extracted from Tableau Desktop can then be published to Tableau Server. (More about the Tableau Server below!) 

What is Tableau Reader?

Tableau Reader is a free desktop application that is used to open and interact with the data visualizations that are built in the Tableau Desktop. It allows you to store data on your own chosen cloud storage, or your own on-premises server. 

Tableau reader

What is Tableau Online?

Tableau Online is a paid add-on tool that keeps your data fully hosted on Tableau in the cloud. You can publish dashboards and share what you’ve found using the software with the world. It allows you to invite your coworkers, clients, or customers to see your discoveries. 

What is Tableau Server?

Tableau Server, on the other hand, is a business intelligence application. It allows you to organize, edit, share, and collaborate on Tableau’s dashboards. You can choose who has access to your dashboards, and to what extent they have access to view or interact with your dashboards. 

Is Tableau Good for Financial Reporting?

Yes, Tableau is good for financial reporting. It provides intelligent data analytics and insight tools. These automatically draw analysis and provide insight into the data reported to the software. If your business has large datasets, Tableau can help you draw up many important conclusions involved in making major financial decisions for your company. Tableau can also give you recommendations based on the financial data it reports. 

Can Tableau Schedule Reports?

Unfortunately, no, Tableau currently cannot schedule reports. However, there are some ways around this. If you utilize SEO Design Chicago’s services, our experts can help create reports for you with Tableaus’ data. The Tableau server allows you to use its command line operator to open a workbook and create a PDF or of a dashboard or worksheet. If this is over your head, no problem! That’s what we’re here for. 

Can Tableau Generate PDF Reports?

Yes, Tableau can generate PDF reports. 

graphic design and tableau services

What is Tableau Used For?

Now you are probably asking, what is the use of Tableau? Tableau has several uses, including:

Importing data of any size or range;  To translate queries, data and information into visualization;  For managing metadata; and Creating no-code data queries.

Tableau Reporting Examples

There are several different options available within Tableau for dashboards. Here are just a few Tableau reporting examples: 

Sales Pipeline Dashboard

A sales pipeline dashboard is most often used by sales executives, managers, and sales analysts to make decisions on the next steps for opportunities and deals. It gives you a better view of your sales pipelines and where your sales are coming from. This kind of dashboard is helpful for analyzing data to show custom KPIs, like partner involvement, product category, and more. If you need to quickly spot opportunities to pivot in your business, this dashboard is probably the right choice for you. 

Account Management 360 View Dashboard

The Account Management 360 View Dashboard allows you to put all of your most important sales indicators on one screen, so you can get a better understanding of your account. It gives you an extremely detailed report of various parts of your business, like its structure, clients, and revenue from each client. It is intended to mostly be used by managers and sellers to show an overview of their business based on customers’ engagement and success and products and services. 

Executive Overview Sales Summary Dashboard

The Executive Overview Sales Summary Dashboard is a helpful tool for sales managers to track quarter to date sales performance. This dashboard allows senior sales leaders to go through huge amounts of data and reach conclusions, without having to go through pages upon pages of paper spreadsheets. 

These are just a few examples of Tableau reporting dashboards that you can utilize for your own business.

Advantages of Using Tableau

Excellent Data Visualization

The main advantage of using Tableau is its data visualization capabilities. It is the top data visualization software on the market today. Its illustration and design quality are unmatched. 

Easy to Use for Anyone

Tableau is easy for anyone to use, even those without technical training. It features an intuitive interface that makes it simple to create graphics and arrange data into eye-catching diagrams with its drag-and-drop function. 

Fast Performance

Aside from its ease of use, Tableau’s users find it to be reliable and quick. It’s rated highly in several areas. Even if you are putting in a huge amount of data, Tableau still operates quickly. 

Multiple Data Source Connections

Tableau’s software supports establishing connections with many data sources, including HADOOP, SAP, and DB Technologies. 

Large Community and Interactive Forum

There are many Tableau users and fans in the community who share their expertise and skills with Tableau’s various features in their interactive forum. You can find several helpful tips and tricks to help you unlock new capabilities within Tableau in this forum. It is also useful for getting assistance with any user issues you may encounter, or sharing your own experiences with Tableau. 

Available on Multiple Platforms

You can use Tableau on a variety of platforms, including on your phone! That’s right, Tableau has a mobile app for both iOS and Android. This allows you to access your Tableau dashboards easily and at any time. 

Get Help with Tableau from SEO Design Chicago

For help setting up and utilizing Tableau to see and understand your own data, contact SEO Design Chicago today! We have experience using Tableau to help our clients. Our team can utilize Tableau to cut the amount of time your team spends analyzing data and reports and instead give you this simple solution.

tableau online

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