7 min read
Creating Dashboards and Actions in Tableau
Build interactive dashboards with actions and filters
What is a Dashboard?
A dashboard combines multiple sheets into one view. It tells a complete story!
Creating a Dashboard
- Click "New Dashboard" icon (bottom of screen)
- Drag sheets from left panel
- Arrange and resize
- Add titles and filters
Dashboard Layout
Size Options
- Fixed size (1000x800 pixels)
- Automatic (fits screen)
- Range (min to max)
Layout Containers
- Horizontal - Items side by side
- Vertical - Items stacked
- Tiled - Snap to grid
- Floating - Place anywhere
Adding Elements
Drag from left panel:
- Sheets - Your visualizations
- Text - Titles, descriptions
- Image - Logos, pictures
- Web Page - External content
- Blank - Empty space
Dashboard Actions
Actions make dashboards interactive!
Types of Actions
- Filter Action - Click to filter other sheets
- Highlight Action - Click to highlight related data
- URL Action - Click to open web page
- Go to Sheet - Click to navigate
Creating Filter Action
- Dashboard menu → Actions
- Add Action → Filter
- Set source sheet
- Set target sheet(s)
- Choose trigger (Select, Hover, Menu)
- Click OK
Example
Click a region on map → Bar chart filters to that region
Creating Highlight Action
- Dashboard menu → Actions
- Add Action → Highlight
- Set source and target
- Choose what to highlight
- Click OK
Best Practices
Layout
- Keep it simple
- Group related items
- Use white space
- Align elements
Interactivity
- Add filters users need
- Use actions for exploration
- Show tooltips
- Add instructions
Design
- Use consistent colors
- Clear titles
- Readable fonts
- Company branding
Dashboard Checklist
- Clear title
- All sheets visible
- Filters working
- Actions tested
- Mobile friendly
- Fast loading
Quick Dashboard Recipe
- Create 3-4 sheets
- New dashboard
- Drag sheets in
- Add title
- Add filter action
- Test everything
- Done!
Publishing
Share your dashboard:
- Save to Tableau Server
- Publish to Tableau Public
- Export as PDF/Image
Tips
- Start with key metric at top
- Details below
- Filters on right or top
- Test on different screens
Summary
Dashboards combine sheets into one view. Use containers for layout, actions for interactivity. Keep it simple and focused!