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Publishing to Tableau Public - Dashboard Guide

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Dashboard Mode - Publishing to Tableau Public
Dashboard Goal

Show how to publish a Tableau dashboard to Tableau Public so anyone can view it online.

Sample Data
ProductSalesRegionMonth
Chair150EastJanuary
Table200WestJanuary
Desk300EastFebruary
Chair250WestFebruary
Table400EastMarch
Desk350WestMarch
Dashboard Components
  • KPI Card: Total Sales
    Formula: SUM([Sales]) = 1650
    Shows total sales from all products and regions.
  • Bar Chart: Sales by Product
    Shows sales totals for Chair, Table, and Desk.
    Formula: SUM([Sales]) grouped by [Product]
  • Map: Sales by Region
    Shows sales distribution between East and West regions.
    Formula: SUM([Sales]) grouped by [Region]
  • Line Chart: Sales Over Time
    Shows monthly sales trend from January to March.
    Formula: SUM([Sales]) grouped by [Month]
Dashboard Layout
+----------------------+----------------------+
|      Total Sales      |    Sales by Product   |
|       (KPI Card)      |      (Bar Chart)      |
+----------------------+----------------------+
|      Sales by Region  |    Sales Over Time    |
|         (Map)         |      (Line Chart)     |
+----------------------+----------------------+
Interactivity

Use filters for Region and Month. Selecting a region updates the bar chart, line chart, and KPI card to show only that region's sales. Selecting a month updates the KPI card, bar chart, and map to show sales for that month.

Filters are connected to all charts and KPI card to keep data consistent.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Region = East, which components update?

  • KPI Card: Shows total sales only for East region (150 + 300 + 400 = 850)
  • Bar Chart: Shows sales by product only for East region
  • Map: Highlights East region sales, West region sales hidden
  • Line Chart: Shows sales over time only for East region
Key Result
A Tableau dashboard showing total sales, sales by product, region, and month with filters, published to Tableau Public.

Practice

(1/5)
1. What is the main purpose of publishing a dashboard to Tableau Public?
easy
A. To create backups of your dashboards on your local computer
B. To share your dashboards online for free and make them visible to everyone
C. To export dashboards as PDF files for offline use
D. To keep your dashboards private and only accessible to you

Solution

  1. Step 1: Understand Tableau Public's sharing feature

    Tableau Public allows users to share dashboards online for free, making them accessible to anyone with internet access.

  2. Step 2: Compare options with this feature

    Options A, B, and C describe private use, exporting, or backups, which are not the main purpose of Tableau Public.

  3. Final Answer:

    To share your dashboards online for free and make them visible to everyone -> Option B

  4. Quick Check:

    Publishing to Tableau Public = Free public sharing [OK]
Hint: Remember: Tableau Public dashboards are always visible to all [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Thinking Tableau Public keeps dashboards private
  • Confusing publishing with exporting files
  • Assuming publishing creates local backups
2. Which of the following is the correct first step to publish a workbook to Tableau Public?
easy
A. Sign in to your Tableau Public account within Tableau Desktop
B. Export the workbook as a PDF file
C. Save the workbook on your local computer without signing in
D. Create a new Tableau Server project

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the publishing process

    Publishing to Tableau Public requires signing in to your Tableau Public account inside Tableau Desktop.

  2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

    Exporting as PDF, saving locally without signing in, or creating Tableau Server projects are unrelated to publishing on Tableau Public.

  3. Final Answer:

    Sign in to your Tableau Public account within Tableau Desktop -> Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Sign in first to publish [OK]
Hint: Always sign in to Tableau Public before publishing [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Trying to publish without signing in
  • Confusing Tableau Public with Tableau Server
  • Exporting instead of publishing
3. After signing in and naming your workbook, what happens when you click Save to Tableau Public?
medium
A. Your workbook is saved locally but not shared online
B. Your workbook is saved privately and only you can access it
C. Your workbook is emailed to your Tableau Public contacts
D. Your workbook is uploaded and becomes publicly visible on Tableau Public

Solution

  1. Step 1: Understand the save action in Tableau Public

    Clicking 'Save to Tableau Public' uploads your workbook to the Tableau Public website, making it publicly accessible.

  2. Step 2: Review other options

    Options A, C, and D describe local saving, emailing, or private saving, which do not happen when publishing to Tableau Public.

  3. Final Answer:

    Your workbook is uploaded and becomes publicly visible on Tableau Public -> Option D

  4. Quick Check:

    Save to Tableau Public = Upload and public visibility [OK]
Hint: Save to Tableau Public means upload and share publicly [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Assuming saving only stores locally
  • Thinking the workbook is emailed automatically
  • Believing the workbook remains private
4. You tried to publish your workbook to Tableau Public but received an error saying you are not signed in. What should you do to fix this?
medium
A. Export the workbook as an image instead
B. Restart your computer and try publishing without signing in
C. Sign in to your Tableau Public account inside Tableau Desktop and try publishing again
D. Delete the workbook and create a new one

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the cause of the error

    The error indicates you are not signed in, which is required to publish to Tableau Public.

  2. Step 2: Correct the issue by signing in

    Signing in inside Tableau Desktop allows you to authenticate and publish your workbook successfully.

  3. Final Answer:

    Sign in to your Tableau Public account inside Tableau Desktop and try publishing again -> Option C

  4. Quick Check:

    Sign in to fix publishing errors [OK]
Hint: Always sign in before publishing to avoid errors [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Ignoring the sign-in requirement
  • Restarting without signing in
  • Trying unrelated export options
5. You want to publish a dashboard to Tableau Public but keep some data private. Which approach is best?
hard
A. Remove or anonymize sensitive data before publishing the workbook
B. Publish normally and trust Tableau Public to hide private data
C. Publish the workbook and then delete it immediately
D. Publish the workbook but set a password to restrict access

Solution

  1. Step 1: Understand Tableau Public's privacy model

    Tableau Public makes all published content visible to everyone; it does not support private or password-protected workbooks.

  2. Step 2: Choose a method to protect sensitive data

    Removing or anonymizing sensitive data before publishing ensures private information is not exposed.

  3. Final Answer:

    Remove or anonymize sensitive data before publishing the workbook -> Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Protect privacy by cleaning data before publishing [OK]
Hint: Clean sensitive data before publishing to keep it private [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Assuming Tableau Public hides private data automatically
  • Trying to password-protect Tableau Public workbooks
  • Publishing then deleting to hide data