This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Basic Data Prep with Data Interpreter
Tableau Desktop delivers some features to help automatically reshape files to get them ready for analysis in Tableau without relying on additional tools (such as Tableau Prep) or other data prep tools. One is Data Interpreter, Tableau’s built-in tool for preparing data for analysis. While many of the Excel files we’ll use in this text are already nicely formatted and ready for analysis in Tableau, real-world data files are not always so well prepared. If you need to connect to a data table where minimal amounts of data prep is necessary, Data Interpreter is a handy resource.
When you connect to an Excel sheet in Tableau, the software can recognize issues such as missing column names, null values, and so on. To remedy these problems and clean the file for use in analysis, Tableau will suggest using Data Interpreter. (Refer to Figure 3.4 to locate the Data Interpreter option on the left pane of Data Source screen, directly between the list of data connections and the resultant tables.)
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We will take a closer look at Data Interpreter in a later chapter, but for now it’s sufficient to know that to use Data Interpreter, you simply click the check box to activate this tool. This executes a query to the Excel file and confirms its automated prep tasks, with a revised data preview pane addressing the issues Data Interpreter has identified. To get more specifics on what Data Interpreter has adjusted in the file, including a before-and-after view and an explanation table, click the link that is provided following Data Interpreter’s action to “Review the results.” This opens an Excel file describing the changes. You can also clear the check box to undo these changes and revert to your original sheet.
After verifying the changes made to your data, you can go to your worksheet and begin exploring the Tableau interface and your data. You are ready to begin your analysis!