Database connections (SQL Server, PostgreSQL) in Tableau - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Database connections (SQL Server, PostgreSQL)

Dashboard Goal

Understand how to connect Tableau to SQL Server and PostgreSQL databases to create live data visualizations.

Sample Data

OrderID	Customer	Region	Sales	OrderDate
1001	Alice	East	250	2024-01-15
1002	Bob	West	450	2024-01-20
1003	Charlie	East	300	2024-02-05
1004	Diana	South	150	2024-02-10
1005	Eva	West	500	2024-03-01

Dashboard Components

• Connection Setup Panel: Shows steps to connect Tableau to SQL Server and PostgreSQL databases.
• Total Sales KPI Card: Displays total sales from connected database.
  Formula: SUM([Sales])
  Result: 1650
• Sales by Region Bar Chart: Visualizes sales grouped by region.
  SQL Query example:
  SELECT Region, SUM(Sales) AS TotalSales FROM Orders GROUP BY Region;
  Chart shows East: 550, West: 950, South: 150
• Recent Orders Table: Lists recent orders with OrderID, Customer, Sales, and OrderDate.

Dashboard Layout

+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| Connection Setup Panel     | Total Sales KPI Card      |
| (Instructions)            | (Big number: 1650)        |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| Sales by Region Bar Chart                          |
| (Bar chart with 3 bars)                            |
+---------------------------------------------------+
| Recent Orders Table                                |
| (Table with 5 rows)                               |
+---------------------------------------------------+
  

Interactivity

Filters for Region and OrderDate allow users to update all components simultaneously:

• Selecting a region filters the bar chart, KPI card, and recent orders table to that region's data.
• Choosing a date range updates all components to show only orders within that period.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Region = West, which components update and what changes occur?

• Total Sales KPI Card: Updates to show total sales for West region only (950).
• Sales by Region Bar Chart: Shows only the West bar with sales 950.
• Recent Orders Table: Lists only orders from West region (OrderID 1002 and 1005).

Key Result

A Tableau dashboard demonstrating live connections to SQL Server and PostgreSQL with sales KPIs, regional sales chart, and recent orders table.