Tableau file types- purpose, features and limitations

TWB – Tableau WorkBook file

1) A text file, to be more specific, an XML file, which is a highly structured text file that contains

a) Data connection information

b) View layout definitions

c) And thumbnails or snapshots of each view

TWBX — Tableau packaged WorkBook file

1) Everything contained in a Tableau WorkBook file

+PLUS+

2) All local data used in the workbook data sources

a) Remote database data is NOT included (e.g.- Oracle, SQL Server data sources)

To include remote database data in a packaged workbook, you must instruct Tableau to create a Tableau Data Extract from the remote database data

b) Local data source files such as comma-delimited files (CSV), Excel, Access and other local data sources are automatically included

However, even with local files, you typically achieve better query performance and smaller packaged workbook sizes with Tableau Data Extracts

3) Custom geocoding used by the workbook, this comes from the Tableau geocoding database file in your Tableau repository folder

4) Any custom shape image files used for your workbook

5) Any custom background image files used in your workbook

6) Packaged workbooks are a zipped up file (as in WinZip) that contains all of the relevant files above. It is possible to right-click on a packaged workbook and select Unpackage. This will result in a folder, with the same name as the packaged workbook, with all of the original files that were included in the packaged workbook.

TDE — Tableau Data Extract file

1) A data storage file specific to Tableau that radically decreases query time for analysis and reduces storage size. Typical performance improvements of 5-50 times faster than standard data sources.

2) There are many options to reduce the original data source size and query to populate the data extract. Available options include filters, relative date filters, sampling based on rows or percent of rows and hiding unused data columns for the current data source (hidden columns aren’t included in the data query.)

3) Data –> Extract to make an extract

TDS — Tableau Data Source file

1) Contains the connection information for a data source

The data source type and location (e.g., Excel file in directory “C:Data” or a SQL Server database named “Apollo”

2) This file also contains any calculated fields, grouped items and sets you have created.

Parameters are NOT included in the data source.

3) The TDS does not store the actual data values (records), they remain in the source or in a Tableau Data Extract, if in use.

4) There are two ways to create a TDS file in Tableau

a) Data –> Data Connection –> Export

By default, these are saved in the DataSources folder of the local Tableau repository (typically under My Documents)

b) Server –> Publish Data Source

i. This second method publishes it to the Tableau Server environment

ii. Data sources used from the Tableau Server have a distinct advantage over file-based data sources. Server-based data sources are automatically synchronized to all workbooks using them whenever the workbook is opened.

iii. For example, if your old net profit calculation did not include returns, but you later update this data source with this information, Tableau Server based data sources will automatically update all workbooks with this change. File based data sources (from Data –> Data Connection –> Export) will not synchronize with older workbooks that used this data source and will continue using the old net profit calculation until they are manually updated by hand.

TBM — Tableau BookMark file

1) Bookmark –> Create Bookmark

a) These are stored in the Bookmarks folder of your Tableau repository

b) These are very similar to Internet Explorer or Firefox bookmarks, they save your location into a special area that can be organized by topic and accessed at a later date

2) These special files are a snap-shot of ONLY the current worksheet (one view) and include the data connections in use, current layout, formatting, coloring, etc.

3) These do not include any parameter values in use.

4) If you don’t have Tableau Server, this is the only way to save a view for use in another workbook!

a) Open the workbook that has the view you would like to include in a second workbook

b) Save the view as a bookmark, Bookmark –> Create Bookmark

c) Open the second workbook and open the desired bookmark, Bookmark –> desired bookmark