6 min read
Tableau Interface Overview
A comprehensive tour of the Tableau interface and its components
Tableau Interface Parts
When you open Tableau, you see several areas:
1. Data Pane (Left Side)
Contains your data fields:
- Dimensions (blue) - Categories like Name, City
- Measures (green) - Numbers like Sales, Profit
2. Cards and Shelves (Center-Top)
Where you drag fields:
- Columns - Creates horizontal axis
- Rows - Creates vertical axis
- Filters - Filter your data
- Marks - Change colors, size, labels
3. Canvas (Center)
Your visualization appears here. This is where charts are displayed.
4. Show Me Panel (Right)
Click to see chart options:
- Bar chart
- Line chart
- Pie chart
- Map
- And more!
5. Sheets and Dashboards (Bottom)
Tabs for your work:
- Sheet 1, Sheet 2... - Individual charts
- Dashboard - Combine multiple sheets
Key Areas Summary
| Area | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Data Pane | Access your fields |
| Columns/Rows | Build chart axes |
| Marks Card | Customize appearance |
| Canvas | View your chart |
| Show Me | Choose chart type |
Quick Navigation
- Ctrl + S - Save workbook
- Ctrl + Z - Undo
- Ctrl + Y - Redo
- F5 - Refresh data
Menu Bar
- File - Save, export, print
- Data - Connect, refresh data
- Worksheet - Sheet options
- Dashboard - Dashboard options
- Analysis - Add trends, totals
Your First Chart
- Drag a Dimension to Columns
- Drag a Measure to Rows
- A chart appears automatically!
Summary
The interface is simple: Data on left, shelves on top, chart in center. Drag and drop to create visuals!