Tableau Interview Question and Answers

1) Explain what is Tableau?

Tableau is a business intelligence software that allows anyone to connect to respective data, and then visualize and create interactive, sharable dashboards.

2) List out some of the new features introduced in Tableau 9.1?

The new features introduced in Tableau 9.1 includes

• Data: With new web data connector, it makes data accessible from anywhere
• Mobile: The new tableau comes with a high-resolution thumbnails, taking screenshot offline and high-level security for the data
• Enterprise: Easy enterprise deployment with active directory synchronization
• Visual Analytics: View proximity in the radial selection tool, also provides features like creating filter formulas and Zoom control on your data

3) Explain what is Tableau public?

Tableau public is a free service that allow anyone to publish interactive data to the web.  Once it is there on web, anyone can interact with the data, download it or create their own visualization.

4) Mention whether you can create relational joins in Tableau without creating a new table?

Yes, one can create relational joins in tableau without creating a new table.

5) Mention what are different Tableau files?

Different Tableau files include

• Workbooks: Workbooks hold one or more worksheets and dashboards
• Bookmarks: It contains a single worksheet and its an easy way to quickly share your work
• Packaged Workbooks: It contains a workbook along with any supporting local file data and background images
• Data Extraction Files: Extract files are a local copy of a subset or entire data source
• Data Connection Files: It’s a small XML file with various connection information

6) Mention what is the difference between published data sources and embedded data sources in Tableau?

The difference between published data source and embedded data source is that,

• Published data source: It contains connection information that is independent of any workbook and can be used by multiple workbooks.
• Embedded data source: It contains connection information and is associated with a workbook.

7) Mention what are the characteristics to distinguish data source?

The data source are distinguished on the basis of following characteristics

• Icon/Name
• Connection Type
• Connects to
• Live or Last extract

8) Mention when to use Joins vs. Blending in Tableau?

If data resides in a single source, it is always desirable to use Joins.  When your data is not in one place blending is the most viable way to create a left join like the connection between your primary and secondary data sources.

9) Explain what is Tableau Data Extract?

A table data extract is a compressed snapshot of data stored on disk and loaded into memory as required to render a Tableau.  A TDE is a columnar store and reduce the input/output required to access and aggregate the values.

10) Explain what is the difference between blending and joining in Tableau?

• Joining term is used when you are combining data from the same source, for example, worksheet in an Excel file or tables in Oracle database
• While blending requires two completely defined data sources in your report.