Device-specific layouts in Tableau - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Device-specific layouts

Dashboard Goal

Understand how to create device-specific layouts in Tableau to optimize dashboard views for desktop, tablet, and phone users.

Sample Data: Sales by Region and Category

Region	Category	Sales	Profit
East	Furniture	1000	200
East	Technology	1500	300
West	Furniture	1200	250
West	Office Supplies	800	150
Central	Technology	1700	400
Central	Office Supplies	900	180
South	Furniture	1100	220
South	Technology	1300	280

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card - Total Sales: SUM([Sales]) = 9500
• KPI Card - Total Profit: SUM([Profit]) = 1980
• Bar Chart - Sales by Region: SUM([Sales]) grouped by [Region]
• Pie Chart - Sales by Category: SUM([Sales]) grouped by [Category]
• Table - Detailed Sales Data: Shows Region, Category, Sales, Profit rows

Device-specific layouts:

• Desktop Layout: Shows all components in a grid for full detail.
• Tablet Layout: Shows KPI cards and bar chart stacked vertically, hides pie chart for simplicity.
• Phone Layout: Shows only KPI cards and table with scroll, hides charts for clarity.

Dashboard Layout (ASCII Art)

+----------------------------+----------------------------+
|        KPI: Total Sales    |       KPI: Total Profit    |
+----------------------------+----------------------------+
|        Bar Chart: Sales by Region                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
|        Pie Chart: Sales by Category                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
|        Table: Detailed Sales Data                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------+


Desktop Layout: All components visible as above.

Tablet Layout:
+----------------------------+
|        KPI: Total Sales    |
+----------------------------+
|        KPI: Total Profit   |
+----------------------------+
|        Bar Chart: Sales by Region                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
|        Table: Detailed Sales Data                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------+

Pie Chart hidden on tablet.

Phone Layout:
+----------------------------+
|        KPI: Total Sales    |
+----------------------------+
|        KPI: Total Profit   |
+----------------------------+
|        Table: Detailed Sales Data                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------+

Bar and Pie charts hidden on phone.
  

Interactivity

Filters and device layouts interact as follows:

• Region Filter: Applies to all visible components on all devices, updating sales and profit values and charts accordingly.
• Category Filter: Applies similarly to all visible components.
• Device Layout Selector: Automatically switches layout based on device type (desktop, tablet, phone) to show/hide components for best user experience.

Self Check

If you add a filter to show only Region = East, which components update and how?

• KPI Cards: Total Sales and Profit update to sum only East region data (Sales = 2500, Profit = 500).
• Bar Chart: Shows only East region bar.
• Pie Chart: Shows sales distribution by category only for East region.
• Table: Shows only rows where Region = East.

On phone layout, only KPI cards and table update and remain visible.

Key Result

A Tableau dashboard demonstrating device-specific layouts that adapt component visibility and arrangement for desktop, tablet, and phone users using sales data.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of device-specific layouts in Tableau dashboards?

easy

A. To create different dashboard designs optimized for phones, tablets, and desktops

B. To connect Tableau to different data sources automatically

C. To change the color scheme of a dashboard based on user preferences

D. To export dashboards in multiple file formats

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand device-specific layouts

   Device-specific layouts allow creating different dashboard versions tailored for various devices like phones, tablets, and desktops.

2. Step 2: Identify the main purpose

   The main goal is to improve user experience by optimizing the dashboard layout for each device type.

3. Final Answer:

   To create different dashboard designs optimized for phones, tablets, and desktops -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Device-specific layouts = tailored dashboard designs [OK]

Hint: Think about device screen sizes and user experience [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing device layouts with data connections
• Thinking device layouts change colors only
• Assuming device layouts export files

2. Which Tableau feature allows you to preview how your dashboard looks on different devices?

easy

A. Calculated Fields

B. Data Interpreter

C. Story Points

D. Device Preview

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Tableau features for device layouts

   Tableau provides a feature called Device Preview to check dashboard appearance on phones, tablets, and desktops.

2. Step 2: Match feature to description

   Device Preview specifically lets you test and adjust layouts for different devices before publishing.

3. Final Answer:

   Device Preview -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Preview device layouts = Device Preview [OK]

Hint: Look for 'Preview' in the feature name for device testing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Device Preview with Data Interpreter
• Mixing up Story Points with device layout tools
• Thinking Calculated Fields preview layouts

3. Given a dashboard with device layouts set for phone and desktop, what happens if a user opens it on a tablet without a specific layout?

medium

A. The desktop layout is shown by default

B. The phone layout is shown by default

C. An error message appears

D. The dashboard does not load

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand default layout behavior

   If a device-specific layout is not created for a device (tablet here), Tableau uses the desktop layout as the default fallback.

2. Step 2: Apply to the scenario

   Since only phone and desktop layouts exist, tablet users see the desktop layout automatically.

3. Final Answer:

   The desktop layout is shown by default -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Missing tablet layout = desktop layout fallback [OK]

Hint: No tablet layout? Desktop layout shows [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming phone layout shows by default
• Expecting error messages for missing layouts
• Thinking dashboard fails to load

4. You created device-specific layouts but notice the phone layout is not applied when viewing on a phone. What is a likely cause?

medium

A. The desktop layout has higher priority and overrides phone layout

B. Tableau does not support phone layouts

C. The phone layout was not enabled in the Device Layouts pane

D. The data source is incompatible with phone layouts

Solution

1. Step 1: Check device layout settings

   Device-specific layouts must be enabled explicitly in Tableau's Device Layouts pane for each device type.

2. Step 2: Identify common mistake

   If the phone layout is created but not enabled, Tableau will not apply it when viewed on a phone.

3. Final Answer:

   The phone layout was not enabled in the Device Layouts pane -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Enable phone layout to apply it [OK]

Hint: Enable layouts in Device Layouts pane to activate [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking desktop layout overrides phone layout
• Believing Tableau lacks phone layout support
• Blaming data source for layout issues

5. You want to create a dashboard that shows a detailed sales chart on desktop but a simplified summary on phones. How should you use device-specific layouts to achieve this?

hard

A. Use one layout and rely on Tableau to automatically simplify visuals on phones

B. Create separate layouts: full chart for desktop, summary for phone, and enable both

C. Create only a phone layout with the summary and no desktop layout

D. Create a desktop layout with summary and phone layout with full chart

Solution

1. Step 1: Plan layouts for each device

   To show different visuals per device, create separate layouts tailored to each device's needs.

2. Step 2: Implement and enable layouts

   Create a detailed sales chart layout for desktop and a simplified summary layout for phones, then enable both in Device Layouts.

3. Step 3: Verify user experience

   This ensures desktop users see full details, and phone users get a clean summary optimized for small screens.

4. Final Answer:

   Create separate layouts: full chart for desktop, summary for phone, and enable both -> Option B

5. Quick Check:

   Separate layouts for devices = tailored user experience [OK]

Hint: Design and enable distinct layouts per device type [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting automatic simplification without separate layouts
• Creating only one layout for all devices
• Mixing up which layout shows on which device