Review Key Topics for the Connect to and Transform Data Section

1.1 Connect to data sources

• Identify data source
  
• Determine live connection vs. extract
  
• Connect to extracts
  
• Connect to files
  
• Connect to relational databases
  
• Connect to published data sources from a Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud site
  
• Replace the connected data source with another data source for an existing chart or sheet
  

1.2. Prepare data for analysis

• Assess data quality (completeness, consistency, accuracy)
  
• Perform cleaning operations
  
• Organize data fields into folders
  
• Use multiple data sources (establish relationships, create joins, union tables)
  
• Prepare data by using Data Interpreter, pivot, and split
  
• Create extract and data source filters
  

1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Choose which data transformation to perform based on a business scenario
  
• Combine data by using unions
  
• Combine data by using joins
  
• Shape data by using aggregations
  
• Perform filtering
  
• Shape data by using pivots
  
• Determine which output type to use
  

1.4. Customize fields

• Change default field properties (types, sorting, etc.)
  
• Rename columns
  
• Choose when to convert between discrete and continuous
  
• Choose when to convert between dimension and measure
  
• Create aliases
  

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1.1 Connect to data sources

• Determine live connection vs. extract
  

Review the benefits of using extracts vs. live data in the Extract Your Data documentation.

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1.1 Connect to data sources

• Replace the connected data source with another data source for an existing chart or sheet
  

Read about how to Replace Data Sources (only in Tableau Desktop). Note that any time a data source is replaced, it’s important to consider that Tableau will look for similar structure and field names to populate existing views.

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1.2. Prepare data for analysis

• Assess data quality (completeness, consistency, accuracy)
  

Explore the blog article, Learn the Basics of Well-Structured Data to know what traits to look for in data.

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1.2. Prepare data for analysis

• Prepare data by using Data Interpreter, pivot, and split
  

See Split a Field into Multiple Fields to review options to handle string fields in your data that contain multiple distinct pieces of information, for example, the first and last name of a customer.

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1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Choose which data transformation to perform based on a business scenario
  

Read the Best practices for tidy data using Tableau Prep white paper to see details about why it's important to know the ultimate output of your data when shaping and combining data.

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1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Combine data by using joins
  

Review what is returned with the different join type options in the Aggregate, Join, or Union Data online help topic.

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1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Shape data by using aggregations
  

Visit the Aggregate, Join, or Union data topic to see how to adjust the granularity of some data, either to reduce the amount of data produced from the flow, or to align data with other data you might want to join or union together.

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1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Shape data by using pivots
  

Examine the results of different column-to-rows and rows-to-columns pivots in the Pivot Your Data topic.

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1.4. Customize fields

• Change default field properties (types, sorting, etc.)
  

Review the Data Types help topic to learn about the different field types and how you can change them in a Tableau data source.

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1.4. Customize fields

• Rename columns
  

See the information on how to Organize and Customize Fields in the Data Pane, including renaming columns.

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1.2. Prepare data for analysis

• Use multiple data sources (establish relationships, create joins, union tables)
  

1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Combine data by using unions
  

Learn how to Union Your Data in Tableau Desktop and web authoring and in Tableau Prep by reading the Union your data topic.

See how to create a union using a wildcard search in Tableau Prep Builder in the Add More Data in the Input Step help topic.

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1.2. Prepare data for analysis

• Create extract and data source filters
  

Review how to create a data source filter in Filter Data from Data Sources and set up an extract filter in Extract Your Data.

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1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Choose which data transformation to perform based on a business scenario
  

Review how to apply cleaning operations, including quick cleaning transformations for strings and dates in the Clean and Shape Data help topic. Other options to clean string values include methods for grouping inconsistent values.

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1.3. Perform data transformation in Tableau Prep

• Determine which output type to use
  

Review Tableau Prep output options in the Save and Share Your Work help article.

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1.4. Customize fields

• Choose when to convert between discrete and continuous
  

Review Dimensions and Measures, Blue and Green for foundational knowledge then read how and why to Convert Fields Between Discrete and Continuous.

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1.4. Customize fields

• Choose when to convert between dimension and measure
  

Review why and how to Convert a Measure to a Dimension.

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1.4. Customize fields

• Create aliases
  

Learn how to Create Aliases to Rename Members in the View.

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