Subscriptions and alerts in Tableau - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a business analyst at an online retail company.

📋 Request: Your manager wants you to create a sales dashboard that automatically sends email alerts when daily sales drop below a certain threshold. They also want users to subscribe to weekly sales summary reports.

📊 Data: You have daily sales data including Date, Region, Product Category, and Sales Amount.

🎯 Deliverable: A Tableau dashboard with sales visualizations, configured alerts for low daily sales, and subscription setup for weekly sales summary emails.

Sample Data

Date	Region	Product Category	Sales Amount
2024-06-01	North	Electronics	1200
2024-06-01	South	Clothing	800
2024-06-02	North	Electronics	950
2024-06-02	South	Clothing	700
2024-06-03	North	Electronics	1100
2024-06-03	South	Clothing	650
2024-06-04	North	Electronics	1300
2024-06-04	South	Clothing	900
2024-06-05	North	Electronics	800
2024-06-05	South	Clothing	600

1

Step 1: Connect Tableau to the sales data source containing Date, Region, Product Category, and Sales Amount.

Use Tableau's 'Connect' feature to import the data table.

Expected Result

Sales data is loaded and visible in Tableau's Data pane.

2

Step 2: Create a line chart showing total daily sales over time.

Rows: SUM([Sales Amount]), Columns: Date (continuous).

Expected Result

A line chart displays daily total sales trends.

3

Step 3: Add a filter to allow users to select Region.

Drag Region to Filters shelf and show filter control on dashboard.

Expected Result

Users can filter the sales line chart by Region.

4

Step 4: Create a calculated field 'Daily Total Sales' as SUM([Sales Amount]) grouped by Date.

Calculated Field: SUM([Sales Amount])

Expected Result

Field available to use for alert conditions.

5

Step 5: Publish the dashboard to Tableau Server or Tableau Online.

Use 'Publish Workbook' option and select the server destination.

Expected Result

Dashboard is accessible online for subscriptions and alerts.

6

Step 6: Set up an alert on the daily sales line chart to notify when daily sales drop below 1500.

On Tableau Server, click on the line chart axis, select 'Create Alert', set condition 'Value < 1500', add email recipients.

Expected Result

Email alerts will be sent automatically when daily sales fall below 1500.

7

Step 7: Create a subscription for users to receive a weekly sales summary email.

On Tableau Server, select 'Subscribe', choose recipients, set schedule to weekly, and select the dashboard.

Expected Result

Users receive weekly emails with the sales dashboard snapshot.

Final Result

Daily Sales Trend Dashboard

Date -->
|
|    *       *       *       *       *
|   * *     * *     * *     * *     * *
|  *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
|----------------------------------------
  06-01  06-02  06-03  06-04  06-05

[Region Filter Dropdown]

Alert: Email sent if daily sales < 1500
Subscription: Weekly sales summary emails sent to users

✓Daily total sales fluctuate between 1400 and 2200 in the sample data.

✓In the sample data, sales drop below 1500 only on 2024-06-05 (1400), triggering the alert.

✓Subscription allows stakeholders to stay updated weekly without manual checks.

Bonus Challenge

Configure a Tableau alert that triggers only when sales drop below 1500 for two consecutive days.

Show Hint

Use Tableau Prep or calculated fields to create a flag for consecutive low sales days, then base the alert on that flag.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of subscriptions in Tableau?

easy

A. To create new dashboards automatically

B. To send scheduled dashboard snapshots to your email

C. To instantly notify you when data changes

D. To share dashboards only within Tableau Server

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what subscriptions do

   Subscriptions send dashboard snapshots on a schedule to your email, so you get updates without opening Tableau.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from alerts

   Alerts notify instantly when data meets conditions, not on a schedule.

3. Final Answer:

   To send scheduled dashboard snapshots to your email -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Subscriptions = Scheduled emails [OK]

Hint: Subscriptions send emails on schedule, alerts notify instantly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing alerts with subscriptions
• Thinking subscriptions notify instantly
• Believing subscriptions create dashboards

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create an alert in Tableau?

easy

A. Right-click a continuous axis and select 'Create Alert'

B. Click 'Subscribe' on the dashboard toolbar

C. Export the dashboard as PDF

D. Use the 'Data Source' tab to set alert conditions

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify how alerts are created

   Alerts are created by right-clicking a continuous axis or measure and choosing 'Create Alert'.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

   Subscribing sends scheduled emails, exporting PDF does not create alerts, and 'Data Source' tab is not for alerts.

3. Final Answer:

   Right-click a continuous axis and select 'Create Alert' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Create Alert = Right-click axis [OK]

Hint: Alerts come from right-clicking continuous axes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing 'Subscribe' instead of 'Create Alert'
• Trying to create alerts from data source tab
• Confusing export with alert creation

3. If you set an alert on Sales > 10000 and the sales data changes from 9000 to 12000, what happens?

medium

A. The alert is deleted automatically

B. You get a scheduled subscription email later

C. You receive an instant notification email

D. Nothing happens until you refresh the dashboard manually

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand alert trigger conditions

   Alerts notify you instantly when data meets the set condition, here Sales > 10000.

2. Step 2: Apply the condition to the data change

   Sales changed from 9000 (below threshold) to 12000 (above threshold), so alert triggers immediately.

3. Final Answer:

   You receive an instant notification email -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Alert triggers instantly on condition met [OK]

Hint: Alert triggers instantly when condition is met [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking alert waits for subscription schedule
• Believing manual refresh is needed
• Assuming alert deletes itself

4. You created an alert but never receive notifications. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. The alert condition is never met by the data

B. You forgot to subscribe to the dashboard

C. Alerts only work on discrete fields

D. You must refresh the dashboard manually to get alerts

Solution

1. Step 1: Check alert condition relevance

   If the alert condition is never true, no notification is sent.

2. Step 2: Understand alert requirements

   Alerts work on continuous fields, subscriptions are separate, and manual refresh is not needed for alerts.

3. Final Answer:

   The alert condition is never met by the data -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   No alert if condition false [OK]

Hint: Alerts need condition met to send notification [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing alerts with subscriptions
• Thinking alerts work on discrete fields
• Believing manual refresh triggers alerts

5. You want to receive a weekly snapshot of a sales dashboard and immediate alerts when sales exceed $50,000. How should you configure Tableau?

hard

A. Create only a subscription with a filter for sales > 50000

B. Use subscriptions only, as alerts cannot be combined with subscriptions

C. Set an alert for weekly notifications and subscribe for instant alerts

D. Create a subscription for weekly emails and set an alert on sales > 50000

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand subscription purpose

   Subscriptions send scheduled snapshots, so weekly emails require a subscription.

2. Step 2: Understand alert purpose

   Alerts notify instantly when data meets conditions, so set alert for sales > 50000.

3. Step 3: Combine both features

   Use subscription for weekly snapshots and alert for immediate notifications simultaneously.

4. Final Answer:

   Create a subscription for weekly emails and set an alert on sales > 50000 -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Subscription + alert = weekly + instant updates [OK]

Hint: Use subscription for schedule, alert for instant notify [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to use subscription for instant alerts
• Believing alerts can schedule emails
• Thinking subscriptions and alerts cannot be combined