UNIT – IV: BUSINESS ANALYTICS TOOL – TABLEAU

1. Introduction to Tableau

What is Tableau?
Tableau is a data visualization and business analytics software. It helps users to see and understand
data by creating graphs, charts, dashboards, and reports easily.

Why use Tableau?

 It helps in analyzing large amounts of data quickly.

 You can create interactive charts and dashboards.

 You don’t need to be a programmer – it works by simple drag and drop.

 Connects to many data sources like Excel, SQL, Cloud, and Real-Time Databases.

Example: If a company wants to check which product is selling best in each city, Tableau can make a
colorful and interactive chart showing that easily.

2. Data Visualization

Data Visualization is the process of converting raw data into visual formats like bar charts, line
graphs, maps, pie charts, etc.

🔹 Importance of Data Visualization:

 Makes data easy to understand

 Helps find patterns, trends, and insights

 Makes presentations more attractive

 Helps in quick decision-making

🔹 Example:

A sales table is hard to read. But a bar chart showing sales by month helps quickly see which months
performed better.

3. Data Importing in Tableau

You can import or connect Tableau to various data sources:

 Excel files, CSV files

 Databases (like MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server)

 Google Sheets, Cloud platforms

 Web Data Connectors (live websites)

 4.Live vs. Extract Connection

Feature Live Connection Extract Connection

Definitio Connects to real-time database Takes a snapshot or copy of data

n

Data Always updated Static – needs manual refresh

Speed Slower with large data Faster because it's stored locally

Example Live sales data from Amazon Data downloaded from an Excel sheet

5. Connecting to Real-Time Database

You can connect Tableau to real-time databases like SQL, Oracle, etc.

🔹 Uses:

 Monitor live sales

 Track real-time performance

 Useful for operations, finance, stock markets, etc.

6. Continuous vs. Discrete Data

Continuous Data Discrete Data

Data that flows without breaks Fixed, separate values

Can be measured (like time, price, height) Can be counted (like category, city, name)

Example: 10.1, 10.2, 10.3… Example: Red, Blue, Green; Jan, Feb, Mar

Chart Type Examples:

 Use line chart for continuous data like monthly revenue.

 Use bar chart for discrete data like sales by region.

7. Different Types of Charts in Tableau

Chart Use Example

Bar Chart Compare values across categories Sales by region

Line Chart Show trends over time Monthly revenue growth

Scatter Plot Show relationship between two numeric Age vs. Salary
values

Histogram Show distribution of a single measure Number of customers by age

 group

Dual Axis Compare two different measures in one Sales and Profit together
Chart chart

Heat Map Use colors to show density or intensity of Sales by country and product
values

8. Heat Map

A heat map uses colors to show intensity of data.

🔹 Example:

 Darker color = higher sales

 Lighter color = lower sales

Used in comparing product performance across regions.

9. Filters, Parameters, Functions & Calculated Fields

🔹 Filters:

Used to limit or focus data in the view.

Example: Show sales only for 2023 or for the East region.

🔹 Parameters:

Let the user choose values to control views.

Example: Dropdown to choose product category.

🔹 Functions & Calculated Fields:

Used to create new values using formulas.

Example:

Profit Ratio = (Profit / Sales) * 100

10. Row vs. Aggregate Calculation

Row Calculation Aggregate Calculation

Done for each row Done for a group (like total, average)

Example: Sales - Discount Example: SUM(Sales), AVG(Profit)

11. Table Calculations

Table calculations work after aggregations. Used for advanced analysis.

🔹 Examples:

 Running Total
  Moving Average

 % of Total

 Rank of products or regions

12. Dashboards and Interactive Plots

Dashboard

A collection of multiple charts or visualizations shown together in one place.

 Combines multiple visuals and filters on one screen

 Used in reports and presentations

 Interactive for better decision-making

Interactive Plot Features:

 Filters: Select time range, product, region, etc.

 Tooltips: Show extra info when you hover over data

 Highlight Actions: Click one chart and see effect on others

Use Case: A sales dashboard can show top products, monthly growth, and profit trends all on one
screen.

13. Cross Database Joins & Data Blending

Cross Database Join

Join tables from different databases (e.g., MySQL + Excel).

Useful when all data is related and needs to be combined directly.

Data Blending

Used when data is from different sources and not directly joinable.
Example: Sales data in Excel + Target data in Google Sheets.

14. Data Interpretation and Presentation

Finding Insights in Data

 Look for trends: Is sales increasing or decreasing over months?

 Look for outliers: Any unusually high or low values?

 Compare segments: Which region or product is best performing?

Tips for Good Data Presentation

 Use clear labels and legends

 Avoid too many colors

 Highlight key data using colors or shapes

 Always include headings and filters

 Keep it interactive for users

15. Capstone Project – Real World Data Analytics

Objective: Apply all skills to real-world data

Example Projects:

1. Sales Dashboard

o Data: Sales, profit, region, products

o Visuals: Line chart (monthly sales), Bar chart (top regions), Heat map (category-wise
sales)

2. Customer Analysis

o Data: Customer age, location, purchase history

o Visuals: Histogram (age groups), Scatter (income vs. spend), Map (location-based
customers)

3. Marketing Campaign Analysis

o Data: Campaign type, budget, reach, conversion

o Visuals: Dual-axis chart, Filters for each campaign

4. E-commerce Website

o Analyze traffic, bounce rate, and sales by device.

16. Summary & Quick Revision

Topic Key Points

Tableau Data visualization tool

Data Visualization Turn data into graphs & charts

Importing Data Use Excel, SQL, web data
Live vs Extract Live = real-time data; Extract = faster with snapshot
Continuous vs Continuous = measurable; Discrete = countable
Discrete

Charts Bar, Line, Scatter, Histogram, Dual Axis, Heat Map

Filters & Parameters Used to control data display

Calculations Create new data using formulas

Dashboard Combination of visuals with interactivity

Joins & Blending Connect multiple data sources

Table Calculations Running total, rank, % of total

Data Interpretation Analyze trends, compare, and make decisions

Effective Presentation Clean, interactive visuals with filters

Capstone Final project using real-life datasets