Desktop-Specialist Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam Questions and Answers

Explanation

Tricky options! Go to hyperlink and Go to Web page are not valid Actions in Tableau.

A URL action is a hyperlink that points to a web page, file, or other web-based resource outside of Tableau. You can use URL actions to create an email or link to additional information about your data. To customize links based on your data, you can automatically enter field values as parameters in URLs.

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Tableau Desktop will display marks by using a diverging palette as the default to display data that has both negative and positive quantitative values. A diverging palette is a type of color palette that uses two different color ranges to show positive and negative values. For example, a red-green diverging palette uses shades of red for negative values and shades of green for positive values. A diverging palette is automatically applied when there are both negative and positive values for a measure that is placed on Color on the Marks card5 The other options are not correct types of color palettes that Tableau Desktop uses as the default for data with both negative and positive values. A full color range is not a valid term for a color palette in Tableau. A sequential palette is a type of color palette that uses different shades of one color to show variations in a single measure. A sequential palette is usually applied when there are only positive values for a measure that is placed on Color on the Marks card5 A categorical palette is a type of color palette that uses different colors to show discrete values or categories. A categorical palette is usually applied when there is a dimension that is placed on Color on the Marks card5

We can use scatter plots to visualize relationships between numerical variables!

In Tableau, you create a scatter plot by placing at least one measure on the Columns shelf and at least one measure on the Rows shelf (Total 2 minimum). If these shelves contain both dimensions and measures, Tableau places the measures as the innermost fields, which means that measures are always to the right of any dimensions that you have also placed on these shelves. The word "innermost" in this case refers to the table structure.

 ( Simple Scatter Plot)

 (Matrix of Scatter Plots)

A scatter plot can use several mark types. By default, Tableau uses the shape mark type. Depending on your data, you might want to use another mark type, such as a circle or a square. For more information, see Change the Type of Mark in the View.

To create a scatter plot, follow the steps below:

The benefits of using a live connection over an extract include:

• B: A live connection ensures that the data in the workbook is as up-to-date as the database itself, providing fresher data compared to a static extract which is updated at intervals.
• C: A live connection queries the database server directly, which means it uses the server's memory and processing power rather than relying on the client computer's resources.

A live connection does not necessarily require less network overhead (A) as it may continually send queries over the network, and it is not always faster than an extract (D) because extracts can provide quicker response times for complex queries or large datasets.

The default behavior of Tableau when you add a measure to the view is to automatically apply an aggregation to that measure. The type of aggregation applied can vary depending on the context of the view. For example, if no other measures or dimensions affect the measure, Tableau might default to SUM. However, if there are other dimensions in the view that define the level of detail, the aggregation might be different to reflect the context.

According to the [Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam Guide], a join is a way to combine table columns in relational databases by using shared values. A join can be inner, left, right, or full, depending on how the matching rows are included or excluded.

Explanation

Follow along:

1) Drag Assortment and Year ID (choose Discrete Month) to Columns shelf, and Sales to the Columns Shelf.

For sales, click on the pill -> choose Quick Table calculation ->  Year over Year growth.

The view should now look like:

Explanation

Yes! We get different color palettes. They are:

*From the official Tableau documentation*

To change the color for a value

1) Click on an item on the left, under Select Data Item.

2) Click a new color in the palette on the right. In Tableau Desktop you can hover over a swatch to identify the color.

3) Repeat for as many values that you want to change.

4) In Tableau Desktop, click OK to exit the Edit Colors dialog box. In Tableau Server or Tableau Online, simply close the dialog box.

AND

When using a data source that has relationships, you can add a join between two or more tables by dragging a table directly on top of an existing logical table from the Tables pane. This will create a logical table that contains the joined tables. You can then edit the join type, join clauses, and join calculation as needed2 The other options are not valid ways to add a join between tables when using relationships. From the Tables pane, double-clicking a table will add it to the data source as a separate logical table, not joined with any other table. From the Connections pane, selecting Add will allow you to add another connection to the data source, not join tables within the same connection. Double-clicking a logical table in the canvas will open the Data Source page, where you can view and edit the fields in the logical table, not join it with another table2

Explanation

The computer on which you are installing or upgrading Tableau Server must meet the minimum hardware requirements. If the Setup program determines that your computer does not meet the following requirements, you will not be able to install Tableau Server.

These minimum requirements are appropriate for a computer that you use for prototyping and testing of Tableau Server. They apply to single-node installations and to each computer in a distributed installation.

By default, measures placed in a view are aggregated. Mostly you'll notice that the aggregation is SUM, but not ALWAYS.

The type of aggregation applied varies depending on the context of the view.

You can use a story to present a data narrative to lead your audience to your conclusions, or to assemble a sequenced analysis to share with collaborators. A story is a sequence of visualizations that work together to convey information. You can create stories to tell a data story, provide context, demonstrate how decisions relate to outcomes, or to simply make a compelling case4

Explanation

To interactively display information from the web INSIDE a dashboard, you can use a URL action with a web page object.

For example, you might have a dashboard that shows profits by country. In addition to showing the profit data in your dashboard, you also want to display supplemental information about the countries from a web site.

Explanation

Tableau recognises a CSV file as a TEXT file, and therefore it is the correct option.

The following are the steps to import a CSV file:

1) From the data connection screen, click on Text:

2) Choose the appropriate file, and click Open:

3) Finally, Tableau imports the data as shown below:

A histogram is a chart that displays the shape of a distribution. A histogram looks like a bar chart but groups values for a continuous measure into ranges, or bins.

The basic building blocks for a histogram are as follows:

Demo :

You should use a union when you have two tables with similarly named columns of data that you want to combine. A union is a method for combining data by appending rows of one table onto another table. The tables that you union must have the same number of fields, the same field names, and the same data types2

An Individual Axis in Tableau is obtained by adding a continuous into Rows or Columns Shelf.

Example:

In order to show Individual Axis in Tableau First, we drag and drop the Color from Dimension shelf to Column Shelf. Next, we drag and drop the Sales Amount from measures shelf to Rows Shelf. Since it is a continuous value, the Sales Amount will be aggregated to default Sum. Once you drag them, following Chart report will be generated.

Next, we drag and Drop one more measure value, i.e., Total Product Cost from Measures Region to Rows Shelf. Because it is a Measure value, Total Product Cost is aggregated to default Sum. From the below screenshot, you can observe that Tableau has created an individual axis for each measure (continuous field).

You should use a relationship instead of a join for two data sets when the data sets include similar data aggregated at different levels of detail. A relationship is a way of combining data from different tables based on common fields without creating a single table with all fields. A relationship allows you to query data from multiple tables as needed and preserve the level of detail of each table. A relationship is useful when you have data sets that are aggregated at different levels of detail, such as sales by region and sales by product. A relationship can match data from different levels of detail without creating null values or duplicate rows. The other options are not valid situations for using a relationship instead of a join for two data sets. The data sets include similar data aggregated up to the highest level is not correct, because a relationship is not needed when both data sets have the same level of detail. You can use either a relationship or a join in this case, depending on your preference and performance. The data sets are in two separate tables within a single spreadsheet is not correct, because a relationship is not limited by the location or format of the data sets. You can use a relationship to combine data from different sources or connections, such as databases, files, or web services. To use both data sets across multiple sheets in a visualization is not correct, because a relationship does not affect how you use data in your visualization. You can use either a relationship or a join to create multiple sheets and dashboards with your data sets.

When you double-click a continuous numeric measure named Sales in Tableau, it automatically creates a bar chart. Tableau's default behavior for a single measure is to display it as a bar chart, with the measure values represented on the Y-axis and an automatic range on the X-axis.

Explanation

A bullet graph is a variation of a bar graph developed to replace dashboard gauges and meters. A bullet graph is useful for comparing the performance of a primary measure to one or more other measures. Below is a single bullet graph showing how actual sales compared to estimated sales.

To display multiple distinct lines on the same axis based on a field, you should place the field on the Color shelf in the Marks card. This will encode each distinct value in the Region field with a different color, resulting in separate lines for each region on the same axis.

Explanation

We need to use the concept of Groups for this question. Follow along:

1) First, Drag State to the Rows shelf, and Total Expenses to the Text Mark on the Marks Shelf:

2) Now, remove the SUM aggregation from Total Expenses, and add a quick table calculation -> Percent of total:

3) Next, Select the States of New York, California and Washington -> And then click the paperclip icon:

We can see the answer already : 23.386% in the view above (even before grouping!)

4) Finally, we get the following view and our answer:

You can adjust the size for all charts except the Tree Map. You use dimensions to define the structure of the treemap, and measures to define the size or color of the individual rectangles. Treemaps are a relatively simple data visualization that can provide insight in a visually attractive format.

In a Tree Map, the measure itself defines the size and colour! The greater the sum of Measure for each category, the darker and larger its box.

When creating a group by selecting headers in a Tableau view, the newly created grouped dimension replaces the original dimension field on either the Rows or Columns shelf. This grouping action aggregates the selected headers into a single group, and this new group dimension is automatically placed in the view, replacing the original dimension. This functionality allows for more simplified and customized categorization within the data visualization, enhancing the ability to analyze and interpret data according to specific groupings.

Tree maps size begins from maximum in top left to smallest in bottom right.

See below to learn how to create a TreeMap and add colours to it:

 A dual axis chart is useful for comparing two measures that have different scales. A dual axis chart is a type of visualization that shows two measures using two independent axes layered on top of one another. A dual axis chart allows you to compare and contrast two measures that have different ranges or units of measurement, such as sales and profit margin, temperature and precipitation, or population and GDP per capita. A dual axis chart can also show different mark types for each measure, such as bars and lines, circles and areas, or shapes and texts. The other options are not valid reasons for using a dual axis chart for comparing two measures. Have little in common is not correct, because a dual axis chart is meant to show some kind of relationship or correlation between two measures, not just contrast them. Are Table Calculations is not correct, because a dual axis chart can be used with any type of measure, whether it is an aggregation, a calculation, or an expression. Are aggregated Dimensions is not correct, because a dual axis chart cannot be used with dimensions, only with measures. Dimensions are fields that contain qualitative values that are used to categorize or segment data, not compare them.

**IMPORTANT QUESTION AND EXPLANATION, PLEASE READ**

3 ways to group data -

1) Marks

2) Labels

3) Dimensions shelf.

*IMPORTANT*

If we Group the data by selecting the marks, then they remain separate marks in the view and then have the same colour. Also, a new group is created in the Dimensions shelf. Example -

Using the sample superstore dataset, first plot a bar chart showing sales for each sub-category:

Here, if we Select Phones, Chairs and Storage by selecting the MARKS (Bars), and then group them:

They remain seperate marks (BARS) but are grouped by the same colour.

Now, if we didn't do this, and rather grouped by selecting their Labels (Names):

Then they no longer remain separate Marks (bars) but are rather consolidated into a single Bar:

Finally, we can group directly from the Dimensions shelf as follows:

Now choose Phones, Chairs and Storage and Click Group:

You will now automatically have a new Dimension as follows:

Explanation

When you connect to a new data source, Tableau assigns each field in the data source as dimension or measure in the Data pane, depending on the type of data the field contains. You use these fields to build views of your data.

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Data blending simulates a traditional left join. The main difference between the two is when the aggregation is performed. A join combines the data and then aggregates. A blend aggregates and then combines the data.

From the official website:

In Tableau, the two elements that can have their values changed by using a dashboard action are Sets and Parameters. Dashboard actions can be configured to modify the values within a set or a parameter, allowing for interactive and dynamic changes in the visualization based on user interactions. For example, selecting a specific data point in a dashboard can trigger an action that updates a set or changes the value of a parameter, which in turn can alter the displayed data or the appearance of visualizations within the dashboard.

By default, the shape that a Heap map uses is a "Square". See below:

The calculated field formula LEFT("Sales Data", 5) will correctly produce the output "Sales" from the string value "Sales Data". The LEFT function in Tableau returns the specified number of characters from the start of the string. Here, the first 5 characters of "Sales Data" are "Sales".

All of the given options are true except - Animations work well with maps, polygons, and density marks in web browsers.

From the official documentation: 

As seen above, we can either turn the animations for the entire workbook (upper red box), or only for the current sheet ( lower red box )

1) Simultaneous animations

The default simultaneous animations are faster and work well when showing value changes in simpler charts and dashboards.

2) Sequential animations

Sequential animations take more time but make complex changes clearer by presenting them step-by-step.

Explanation

If you chose 111,060 you were SO close to the correct answer but made a small mistake - you didn't change the aggregation to AVERAGE! This is one of the common mistakes many test takers make, so keep this in mind.

To reach the correct answer, follow the steps below:

1) Draw Assortment to the Column shelf, and drag Year to the Rows Shelf. Then Drill down further on Year to accomodate Quarters and Months as well!

Although this seems enough, DON'T FORGET to change the aggregation like in the next step, which will completely change the values!

• The correct answer as you can see is 1,461 - Sales for Harware Assortment in 2017 Q4, October

The Marks Card allows us not only to edit the Shape, Text and Colour, but also to modify the Tooltip and the level of detail of the visualisation!

The Marks card is a key element for visual analysis in Tableau. As you drag fields to different properties in the Marks card, you add context and detail to the marks in the view.

You use the Marks card to set the mark type (see Change the Type of Mark in the View), and to encode your data with color, size, shape, text, and detail. To change the mark settings, see Control the Appearance of Marks in the View.

In this example, three different fields have been dragged to different properties in the Marks card. Segment is on Color, Region is on Shape, and Quantity is on Size.

After you add a field to the Marks card, you can click the icon next to the field to change the property it is using. You can also click the property buttons in the Marks card to change those settings.

Many properties can have multiple fields. For example, you can add multiple fields to Label, Detail, Tooltip, and Color. Size and Shape can only have one field at a time. For more details, see Control the Appearance of Marks in the View.

There are three benefits of using an extract as compared to a live connection to a data source:

• A live connection to a data source can be slow due to network and user traffic, whereas a connection to an extract improves performance. An extract is a snapshot of data that is stored locally on your computer or on Tableau Server. An extract can reduce the load on the data source and speed up queries.
• Extracts are stored in memory (RAM), resulting in faster query performance as compared with live data connections. When you use an extract, Tableau loads the data into memory and optimizes it for analysis. This allows Tableau to perform calculations and aggregations faster than with live connections.
• Calculated fields perform better in workbooks connected to extracts than in workbooks with live connections to a data source. Calculated fields are custom fields that you create using formulas or expressions. When you use an extract, Tableau can process calculated fields more efficiently than with live connections.

Explanation

When you track data in Excel spreadsheets, you create them with the human interface in mind. To make your spreadsheets easy to read, you might include things like titles, stacked headers, notes, maybe empty rows and columns to add white space, and you probably have multiple tabs of data too.

When you want to analyze this data in Tableau, these aesthetically pleasing attributes make it very difficult for Tableau to interpret your data. That’s where Data Interpreter can help.

Explanation

One way to view a measure in Tableau Desktop is to split it into bins. You can think of bins as buckets based on a range of values. For example, say you have a measure that represents age. Instead of aggregating the measure to calculate the average age, you can bin the measure to define age groups: 0–5, 6–10, 11–15, and so on. Then you can count the number of people in each age group.

Create a calculated field for variable bin size

Step 1

Select Analysis > Create Calculated Field.

Step 2

In the Calculated Field dialog box, complete the following steps:

Explanation

This is true, indeed!

The LEFT JOIN keyword returns all records from the left table (table1), and the matched records from the right table (table2). The result is NULL from the right side, if there is no match.

You can use Wildcard Search to set up search criteria to automatically include tables in your union. Use the wildcard character, which is an asterisk (*), to match a sequence or pattern of characters in the Excel workbook and worksheet names, Google Sheets workbook and worksheet names, text file names, JSON file names, .pdf file names, and database table names.

When working with Excel, text file data, JSON file, .pdf file data, you can also use this method to union files across folders, and worksheets across workbooks. Search is scoped to the selected connection. The connection and the tables available in a connection are shown on the left pane of the Data source page.

According to the Tableau Help, headers are “labels that identify the different parts of your view”. The help also states that “Headers are created when you place a discrete dimension on Columns or Rows” (page 1).

Explanation

Measures contain numeric quantitative values hence that option is incorrect.

Reference 1: https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/datafields_typesandroles.htm

Reference 2: https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/dates.htm

Important question! If you selected Dimension and Measure, don't worry! It is a very common mistake. But we're here to learn aren't we?

When you connect to a new data source, Tableau assigns each field in the data source as dimension or measure in the Data pane, depending on the type of data the field contains. You use these fields to build views of your data.

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To clean and automatically fix the data issues in our data source - This is the definition of Data Interpreter.

To rename the field in the original data source - We never modify the original data source when managing metadata. All changes are local to Tableau for our convenience only.

All other options can be modified using the Manage Metadata property.

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Standard deviation is an aggregation that is available without requiring a table calculation or calculated field. Standard deviation is a statistical measure that shows how much variation there is from the average value in a set of data. Standard deviation is one of the predefined aggregations in Tableau that can be applied to any measure by selecting it from the context menu of the measure or from the drop-down menu on the Marks card6 The other options are not aggregations that are available without requiring a table calculation or calculated field. Running total, sample covariance, and percent of total are all examples of table calculations, which are computations that are applied to the values in an entire table or partition of a table. Table calculations can be created by selecting them from the context menu of a measure or by using functions in a calculated field7

From the data pane, simply right click on the dimension, choose geographic role, and then select the appropriate role as follows:

Explanation

According to Tableau's official documentation -

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The correct answer is Toggle the highlighting ON/OFF. If selected, whichever value you choose from this legend will be highlighted in the view. However, if it is deselected, then even if you choose a value in the Legend, it will NOT be highlighted.

See below:

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To apply bold text formatting to rows or columns independently in Tableau, you should use the Rows tab or the Columns tab on the Format Font pane. This approach provides control over the formatting of text within individual rows or columns. By selecting the appropriate tab (Rows or Columns), you can apply formatting settings, including bold text, to only the selected rows or columns. This is a crucial feature for enhancing the readability and visual appeal of specific parts of a Tableau worksheet, allowing for emphasis on particular data points or categories.

Three statements that accurately describe dimensions are: Contain qualitative values Affect the level of detail in the view Can be continuous or discrete Dimensions are fields that contain qualitative values, such as names, dates, or geographical data. You can use dimensions to categorize, segment, and reveal the details in your data. Dimensions affect the level of detail in the view by creating headers or labels for marks or by defining how data is partitioned for table calculations. Dimensions can be continuous or discrete depending on their data type and format. Continuous dimensions are those that have an infinite range of possible values, such as numbers or ratios. Discrete dimensions are those that have a finite number of distinct values, such as names, categories, or dates3 The other options are not accurate statements about dimensions. Contain numeric, quantitative values is not correct, because fields that contain numeric, quantitative values are measures, not dimensions. Measures are fields that contain numeric values that you can measure and aggregate. Affect the formatting options in the view is not correct, because formatting options are not determined by dimensions, but rather by user preferences and choices. Formatting options allow you to change the appearance of various elements in the workbook, such as fonts, borders, shading, alignment, etc3

The beauty of context filters is that according to Tableau's Order of Operations, they are executed before Sets.

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This means that based on what Region's you've selected - Tableau will first only preserve the rows for those Regions. THEN, after this it will compute the Set , i.e , Bottom 10 products in each Region.

1) First let's create a set to compute the Bottom 10 Products by Profit.

2) Next, take region on the Rows Shelf followed by the Set we just created. Drag Region and the Set to the Filters Shelf as well.

3) Now, try to only visualize the data for the South Region:

4) The problem right now is that Tableau is computing the Set first (Bottom 10 Products), and then applying the Dimension Filter - South Region and hence these values are incorrect. Note how these aren't even 10 products, but rather just 8. To fix this, simply add Region to Context:

Upon doing this, we get the correct answer as : 

References: https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/order_of_operations.htm

https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/filtering_context.htm

Explanation

GDP / Population = GDP Per Capita

Here Sum is a function, / and + are operators. On the bottom there are comments.

a calculated field that has a formula of SUM(Sales)/SUM(Profit) is a measure, because it returns a numeric value that can be aggregated and used for analysis. A parameter is a user-defined variable that can be used in calculations or filters. A dimension is a categorical field that can be used to group or slice data. A set is a subset of data based on some condition.

Explanation

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION

To answer this question, you need to understand Tableau's Order of Operations. See below and remember this always:

When you drop a discrete field on Color in the Marks card, Tableau displays a categorical palette and assigns a color to each value of the field.

When you drop a continuous field on Color, Tableau displays a quantitative legend with a continuous range of colors.

Web version:

Desktop Version:

For more information about color palettes, see Color Palettes and Effects.

Remember that dragging a discrete value to colour creates distinct colours for each item whereas dragging a continuous value to colour creates a gradient. ( Same for Map )

From the official documentation:

Names and Categories would be mostly used as dimensions (categorical data).

Profit and measures contain quantitative data and would be more suitable for Measures!

In Tableau, you can change the font of a worksheet title by double-clicking directly on the title in the view, which opens a dialog box where you can format the text, including changing the font. Another method is to use the Format menu; from there, you select "Title and Caption," which opens the Format Title pane on the left side of the screen, where you can change the font and other formatting options for the worksheet title.

In Tableau, you can aggregate measures or dimensions, though it is more common to aggregate measures. Whenever you add a measure to your view, an aggregation is applied to that measure by default. The type of aggregation applied varies depending on the context of the view.

When you add a measure to the view, Tableau automatically aggregates its values. Sum, average, and median are common aggregations; for a complete list, see List of Predefined Aggregations in Tableau.

The current aggregation appears as part of the measure's name in the view. For example, Sales becomes SUM(Sales). Every measure has a default aggregation which is set by Tableau when you connect to a data source. You can view or change the default aggregation for a measure—see Set the Default Aggregation for a Measure.

You can change the aggregation for a measure in the view from its context menu:

According to the official Tableau documentation:

An example of an area chart is shown below:

Explanation

You can create a group to combine related members in a field. The icon associated with a group is a paper clip!

Only 1 option is correct -

Click on Dashboard in the Menu bar followed by Copy Image

Right click on the dashboard, and choose Copy, then image - Try doing this, you will end up copying just one of the worksheets not the entire dashboard

Click on Worksheet in the Menu bar followed by Export, then choose Image - Again, try doing this. You will end up copying just one of the worksheets not the entire dashboard

Using the floating export worksheet option on the Dashboard - No such option exists

According to the official Tableau documentation:

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This is a tricky question often asked in the exam.

If we drag a new measure to the row shelf, the following happens:

We now have 2 rows, and the same 7 columns for both these rows. Therefore, 2x7 = 14 marks!

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But if we drag the same measure to the column shelf, we have just 1 row and a chart created for each of the columns. So (1x7) = 7 marks!

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Reference and notes: https://medium.com/@justindixon91/tableau-specialist-exam-notes-part-4-understanding-tableau-concepts-f78de83fdd35

Unioning is the correct answer!

From the official documentation:

For example, suppose you have the following customer purchase information stored in three tables, separated by month. The table names are "May2016" , "June2016" and "July2016."

Explanation

After creating a dual axis chart, make sure to synchronise their axis since they both might not be having the same y-axis.

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To align the two axes in a dual axes chart to use the same scale, right-click (control-click on Mac) the secondary axis, and select Synchronize Axis. This aligns the scale of the secondary axis to the scale of the primary axis.

In this example, the Sales axis is the secondary axis and the Profit axis is the primary axis.

If you would like to change which axis is the primary, and which axis is the secondary, select the field on the Columns or Rows shelf that is the secondary, and drag it in front of the primary field on the shelf until you see an orange triangle appear.

In this example, you can select the SUM(Sales) field on the Rows shelf, and drag it in front of the SUM(Profit) field. The Sales axis is now the primary and the Profit axis is the secondary.

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Explanation

Phew! Tricky one! You needed to use filters in this one.

Follow along:

2) Next, as the question mentions, we need to focus on the Assortment PHONE, the color WHITE, and the state of NEW YORK. -> so we use filters for this!

i) First drag Assortment to Filters, and select only Phones :

ii) Next, drag Color to Filters and Choose only White:

iii) Next, drag State ID to Filters, and choose New York (NY):

And Voila! We have our answer as follows:

iv) Last, drag Sales to Label:

To invert the color intensity of a quantitative range in Tableau, you should use the "Reversed" option. This option inverts the color scheme so that the colors representing the higher values are swapped with those representing the lower values. For example, if a color scale initially shows dark colors for high values and light colors for low values, using "Reversed" will switch this so that dark colors represent low values and light colors represent high values. This option is particularly useful for better visual distinction and interpretation in certain data scenarios.

Explanation

Here's how to add image files to your repository:

1) Find image file on the internet. I try to find consistent image formats if I plan to use a set of shapes such as logos or flags.

2) Download the image to your computer.

3) Drag images into your My Documents -> My Tableau repository -> Shapes folder.

4) Open Tableau and your new shapes will automatically be included in your "edit shapes" menu.

Explanation

From the official Tableau website:

Important question!

It is very much possible to specify the formatting at a WORKBOOK level (all sheets) instead of a single worksheet level.

You can quickly change how fonts, titles, and lines look in every view in a workbook by specifying format settings at the workbook level, instead of the worksheet level.

For example, you might want to use a specific font, size, and color so that all views adhere to your company's brand. You might also want to remove grid lines from your views—or make them more noticeable by increasing their pixel size or color.

You can also change the theme used by your workbook. Themes control items like the default font, colors, and line thickness. When you create a new workbook, it automatically uses the Default theme, which uses visual best practices.

Change fonts in your workbook:

You can change all fonts in your workbook or you can change fonts for only certain areas, such as just worksheet titles.

1) On the Format menu, select Workbook.

2) The Format Workbook pane replaces the Data pane on the left and provides a series of drop-down lists where you can change all font settings in a workbook, as well as the font settings for titles of worksheets, stories, and dashboards.

Note: If you have made font changes at the worksheet level, such as on a filter card or a worksheet title, changing the font at the WORKBOOK level will overwrite those changes.

Reset a workbook to its default settings

When you make changes to your workbook's font settings, a gray dot appears next to the setting in the Format Workbook pane. You can quickly switch back to default settings using the Reset to Defaults button.

1) On the Format menu, select Workbook.

2) In the Format Workbook pane, click Reset to Defaults.

Graphical user interface, application Description automatically generated

You should select Size on the Marks card and use the slider to adjust the size to uniformly change the size for all marks in a view. The Size property on the Marks card allows you to control the size of marks in the view by moving the slider to the left or right. The Size slider affects different marks in different ways, such as making them bigger or smaller, wider or narrower, or thicker or thinner1 The other options are not valid ways to uniformly change the size for all marks in a view. Selecting Label on the Marks card and then selecting Alignment will allow you to change the position of labels on marks, not the size of marks2 Using the Fit dropdown menu on the toolbar will allow you to change how the view fits within the worksheet, not the size of marks3 Selecting Format on the menu, and then selecting Cell Size will allow you to change the height and width of cells in a text table, not the size of marks in other types of views4

The only incorrect option is - It is mandatory to combine sheets when using Tableau.

All others are valid advantages that Dashboards provide when using Tableau!

Explanation

For relational data sources, dates and times are automatically placed in the Dimensions area of the Data pane and are identified by the date or date-time icon. For example, the Order Date and Ship Date dimensions from an Excel data source are shown below:

When you place a relational date on a shelf, the field name is automatically modified to reflect the default date level. Tableau defines the default date level to be the level at which there are multiple instances. For example, if the date field includes multiple years, the default level is year. However, if the date field contains data for just one year but includes multiple months, then the default level is month.

Explanation

Data is generated and analyzed at many different levels of granularity. Granularity is the level of detail of the data. For example, when looking at graduation data, granularity would describe whether a row in the data set represents a single person or the graduating class of a university.

Bar charts in Tableau do not require a dimension to be created. You can create a bar chart using only a measure; this will produce a single bar that represents the aggregate of the measure values, such as the sum or average of sales.

Explanation

Line charts connect individual data points in a view. They provide a simple way to visualize a sequence of values and are useful when you want to see trends over time, or to forecast future values.

Please refer to the images below:

In Tableau, parameters are dynamic values that can replace a constant in calculations, filters, and reference lines. If you have a parameter controlling a calculation, changing the parameter value can change the results of that calculation, thus impacting the visualization. Parameters can also be used to switch between different fields in the visualization; for example, allowing users to choose which measure or dimension to display.

In Tableau, when you initially add a measure to the rows shelf, you create one mark in the view that represents the aggregate value of that measure. When you then add a dimension with 11 members to the columns shelf, the view is subdivided into 11 separate marks, each representing the measure for one of the dimension members. This results in a total of 11 marks in the view after the dimension is added, one for each member of the dimension.

To change a measure so that it automatically aggregates as an average instead of a sum, you should right-click the field in the Data pane and select Default Properties. In the Default Properties menu, you can set the default aggregation for the measure, such as setting it to calculate an average by default when added to a view.

Explanation

To reach the correct answer, follow these steps:

1) Drag Order Date (Discrete Year) to the Column shelf, and Region to the Row Shelf as shown:

2) Drag Profit to Text in the Marks Shelf as shown:

3) Click on Analysis as shown -> Totals -> SELECT ROW GRAND TOTALS

The following will be the final view:

You could also Filter by Region to only Focus on Canada, but that's your choice:

THEREFORE,

2012 = 4,888

2011 -> 2014 = 17,817

Yes, due to the nature of blends, there are some conditions as follows from the official documentation that must be kept in mind while working with blends:

In addition to handling calculations slightly differently, there are some limitations on secondary data sources. You may not be able to sort by a field from a secondary data source, and action filters may not work as expected with blended data. For more information, see Other data blending issues.

Dashboard actions in Tableau are interactive elements that can be used to create a more dynamic experience. These actions can be set to filter data on the dashboard, highlight specific elements, or even direct the user to a URL when interacting with a visualization. They can be triggered by user interaction such as hover, selection, or accessing a context menu. Moreover, dashboard actions can have multiple source sheets (where the action originates) and target sheets (where the action takes effect), allowing for a complex interactivity between different parts of the dashboard.

A URL action is a hyperlink that points to a web page, file, or other web-based resource outside of Tableau. You can use URL actions to create an email or link to additional information about your data. To customize links based on your data, you can automatically enter field values as parameters in URLs.

Read more in depth at : https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/actions_url.htm

Explanation

The data that you analyze in Tableau is often made up of a collection of tables that are related by specific fields (that is, columns). Joining is a method for combining data on based on those common fields. The result of combining data using a join is a virtual table that is typically extended horizontally by adding columns of data.

For example, consider the following two tables originating from a single data source:

We can combine these 2 tables, simply by joining the tables on ID to answer questions like, "How much was paid in royalties for authors from a given publisher?". By combining tables using a join, you can view and use related data from different tables in your analysis.

Explanation

When you connect to a new data source, Tableau assigns each field in the data source as dimension or measure in the Data pane, depending on the type of data the field contains. You use these fields to build views of your data.

Further,

This is one of the most common questions on the Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam.

Wrong options -

1) Don't use backgrounds - This is not a solution. What if we want to use backgrounds? We can't just stop using backgrounds to solve this problem.

2) Decrease the font size - Do you think using a smaller font will make the text more readable? No right? Hence, this is wrong too.

All other options are ways recommended to make your text more readable!

Explanation

Tableau displays data source connections and data fields for the workbook in the Data pane on the left side of the workspace.

The Data pane includes:

Dimension fields – Fields that contain qualitative values (such as names, dates, or geographical data). You can use dimensions to categorize, segment, and reveal the details in your data. Dimensions affect the level of detail in the view. Examples of dimensions include dates, customer names, and customer segments.

Measure fields – Fields that contain numeric, quantitative values can be measured. You can apply calculations to them and aggregate them. When you drag a measure into the view, Tableau applies an aggregation to that measure (by default). Examples of measures: sales, profit, number of employees, temperature, frequency.

For more information on what dimensions and measures are, see Dimensions and Measures, Blue and Green.

Calculated fields – If your underlying data doesn't include all of the fields you need to answer your questions, you can create new fields in Tableau using calculations and then save them as part of your data source. These fields are called calculated fields.

For more information on calculated fields, see Create Custom Fields with Calculations.

Sets – Subsets of data that you define. Sets are custom fields based on existing dimensions and criteria that you specify. For more information, see Create Sets.

Named sets from an MS Analysis Services server or from a Teradata OLAP connector also appear in Tableau in this area of the Data pane. You can interact with these named sets in the same way you interact with other custom sets in Tableau.

Parameters – Values that can be used as placeholders in formulas, or replace constant values in calculated fields and filters. For more information, see Create Parameters.

Explanation

The following is the official documentation for the String function LEFT:

Explanation

Since we need to focus on 1 country -> Japan, let's filter on it first as follows:

1) Drag Country to the filter shelf, and choose only Japan. Click OK.

2) Read the Question Carefully, we need to break down the visualisation by Region, then by Country, and then by State. So let's do that:

Drag Region to the column shelf, followed by Country. Drill down into Country to include states as well.

Then drag Quantity to the Row Shelf, and change the Aggregation to AVERAGE.

The following is our visualisation:

Now that you think of it, EVEN IF YOU REMOVE THE REGION, THE ANSWER REMAINS THE SAME. Such elements will be present in the actual exam too, just to make the question sound a little difficult, but actually it is pretty straightforward :)