Analytics-Con-301 Salesforce Certified Tableau Consultant Questions and Answers

To record the performance of the Property Transactions dashboard in the NYC Property Transactions.twbx workbook and analyze it using a bar chart, follow these detailed steps:

Open the NYC Property Transactions Workbook:

From the desktop, double-click the NYC Property Transactions.twbx workbook to open it in Tableau Desktop.

Start Performance Recording:

Before doing anything else, navigate to the 'Help' menu in Tableau Desktop.

Select 'Settings and Performance', then choose 'Start Performance Recording'.

Open the Property Transactions Dashboard and Reset Filters:

Navigate to the Property Transactions dashboard within the workbook.

Reset all filters to show all values. This usually involves selecting the dropdown on each filter and choosing 'All' or using a 'Reset' button if available.

Stop the Performance Recording:

Go back to the 'Help' menu.

Choose 'Settings and Performance', then select 'Stop Performance Recording'.

Tableau will automatically open a new tab displaying the performance recording results.

Save the Performance Recording:

In the performance recording results tab, go to the 'File' menu.

Click 'Save As' and navigate to the C:\CC\Data\ directory.

Save the file, ensuring it is stored in the desired location.

Create a New Worksheet for Performance Analysis:

Return to the NYC Property Transactions workbook and create a new worksheet by clicking on the 'New Worksheet' icon.

Drag the 'Command Name' field to the Columns shelf.

Drag the 'Elapsed Time' field to the Rows shelf.

Ensure that the 'Worksheet' field is also included in the analysis to break down the time by individual sheets within the dashboard.

Choose 'Bar Chart' from the 'Show Me' options to display the data as a bar chart.

Customize and Finalize the Bar Chart:

Adjust the axes and labels to clearly display the information.

Format the chart to enhance readability, applying color coding or sorting as needed to emphasize sheets with longer load times.

Save Your Work:

Once the new worksheet and the performance recording are complete, ensure all work is saved.

Navigate to the 'File' menu and click 'Save', confirming that changes are stored in the workbook.

To shape the data in the "US Population Estimates" data source and enter the total number of records into the "Total Records" parameter in Tableau Desktop, follow these steps:

Open the CC Workbook and Access the Worksheet:

From the desktop, double-click on the CC workbook to open it in Tableau Desktop.

Navigate to the Population worksheet by selecting its tab at the bottom of the window.

Format and Shape the Data:

Ensure the data types match those specified in the requirements: Sex, Origin, Race as strings; Year, Age, Population as whole numbers.

To verify or change the data type, click on the dropdown arrow next to each field name in the Data pane and select "Change Data Type" if necessary.

Calculate Total Number of Records:

Create a new calculated field named "Total Records". To do this, right-click in the Data pane and select "Create Calculated Field".

Enter the formula COUNT([Record ID]) or SUM([Number of Records]) depending on how the data source identifies each row uniquely.

Drag this new calculated field onto the worksheet to display the total number of records.

Enter the Value into the Total Records Parameter:

Locate the "Total Records" parameter in the Data pane. Right-click on the parameter and select "Edit".

Manually enter the number displayed from the calculated field into the parameter, ensuring accuracy to meet the data shaping requirement.

Save Your Changes:

From the File menu, click 'Save' to ensure all your changes are stored.

To add a line showing the cumulative percentage of sales contributed by each product to the incremental sales in the Incremental worksheet of your Tableau Desktop, follow these detailed steps:

Open the CC Workbook and Access the Worksheet:

From the desktop, double-click on the CC workbook to open it in Tableau Desktop.

Navigate to the Incremental worksheet by clicking on its tab at the bottom of the window.

Calculate Cumulative Sales Percentage:

Create a new calculated field to compute the cumulative percentage of sales. Right-click in the Data pane and select 'Create Calculated Field'.

Name this field "Cumulative Sales Percentage".

Enter the following formula to calculate the running sum of sales as a percentage of the total sales:

(RUNNING_SUM(SUM([Sales])) / TOTAL(SUM([Sales])) [Sales]))

Click 'OK' to save the calculated field.

Add the Cumulative Sales Percentage Line to the Chart:

Drag the "Cumulative Sales Percentage" field to the Rows shelf, placing it next to the existing Sales measure.

Ensure that the cumulative line appears as a continuous line. Right-click on the "Cumulative Sales Percentage" field on the Rows shelf, select 'Change Chart Type', and choose 'Line'.

Adjust the axis to synchronize or dual-axis if necessary. Right-click on the axis of the "Cumulative Sales Percentage" and select 'Synchronize Axis' if it's on a dual-axis setup.

Format the Cumulative Sales Percentage Line:

Click on the "Cumulative Sales Percentage" line in the visualization.

Navigate to the 'Format' pane to adjust the line style, thickness, and color to make it distinct from other data in the chart.

Save Your Changes:

From the File menu, click 'Save' to ensure all your changes are stored.

To correctly calculate the percent of total sales for a particular region compared to all regions, and to ensure that the calculation does not get inadvertently recalculated with each region filter application, the recommended calculation is:

{FIXED [Region]: sum([Sales])}: This part of the formula computes the sum of sales for each region, regardless of any filters applied to the view. It uses a Level of Detail expression to fix the sum of sales to each region, ensuring that filtering by regions won't affect the calculated value.

SUM([Sales]): This part computes the total sum of sales across all regions and is recalculated dynamically based on the filters applied to other parts of the dashboard or worksheet.

Combining the two parts: By dividing the fixed regional sales by the total sales, we get the proportion of sales for each region as compared to the total. This calculation ensures that while the denominator adjusts according to filters, the numerator remains fixed for each region, accurately reflecting the sales percentage without being affected by the region filter directly.

References

This calculation follows Tableau’s best practices for using Level of Detail expressions to manage computation granularity in the presence of dashboard filters, as outlined in the Tableau User Guide and official Tableau training materials.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Tableau allows certain calculations to be materialized in extracts, meaning they are precomputed and stored inside the .hyper file to improve performance.

According to Tableau’s extract documentation:

Materializable calculations must be compatible with the extract engine and must not depend on dynamic, view-based, or post-query logic.

Only row-level calculations and aggregation-level calculations without dependencies on runtime context can be materialized.

Tableau cannot materialize any calculation containing:

Table calculation functions

Functions requiring post-aggregation logic

View-dependent elements

Parameters that need runtime evaluation

Evaluation of the choices:

A. A row-level calculation — Correct

Row-level calculations operate on each record individually before aggregation.

Tableau documentation specifies that these calculations can be pushed down into the extract and materialized because they do not depend on the visualization or user interaction.

Examples include concatenation, arithmetic, string manipulation, and row-based logic such as:

[Sales] * [Quantity] or IF [Region] = 'West' THEN 1 END

These can be precomputed inside the extract, improving performance.

B. A calculation that contains table calculation functions — Not allowed

Table calculations (WINDOW_SUM, INDEX, RUNNING_SUM, RANK, etc.) depend on the table structure after aggregation and query execution.

Therefore, Tableau documentation states they cannot be materialized in extracts.

C. A calculation that contains parameters — Not allowed

Parameters are evaluated at runtime, meaning the user can change their value.

Because of this, Tableau cannot permanently compute and store such a calculation inside an extract.

D. A calculation that contains an aggregation — Generally not materialized

Aggregated calculations often depend on query context and cannot always be materialized.

Only simple, context-free aggregations might be materialized, but Tableau explicitly warns that aggregations are not guaranteed candidates for extract materialization.

Thus, this is not the best answer compared to row-level logic.

Conclusion

Only row-level calculations meet Tableau’s exact requirements for materialization in extracts.

References From Tableau Consultant Documentation

Tableau Extract documentation describing materializable calculation types.

Tableau guidance stating table calculations and parameter-dependent calculations cannot be materialized.

Extract optimization guidelines describing row-level logic as eligible for materialization.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Key details from the scenario:

The dashboard is on a command center screen.

The environment cannot access the internet.

The data source is real-time (live).

The dashboard must keep itself refreshed automatically.

No human interaction should be required.

From Tableau’s documentation:

✔ Dashboard Extension API

Tableau’s Extension API allows developers to create custom extensions that can automate refreshing a live dashboard at intervals.

The extension is hosted on the company’s internal web server, which solves the “no internet access” limitation.

This is the only method in the listed options that:

Works offline

Can auto-refresh the dashboard

Supports a “screen-based” live monitoring use case

Uses the existing live connection (no need for extracts)

Thus, A is correct.

Why the other options are wrong:

✘ B. Schedule a Prep Flow

Prep flows do not refresh dashboards.

They only refresh prepared data sources.

The dashboard still won’t auto-update unless reopened.

✘ C. Download an extension from Tableau Exchange

Tableau Exchange requires internet access, which the company does not have.

Also, “sandboxed extensions” cannot refresh the dashboard at timed intervals.

✘ D. Use extracts and scheduled extract refresh

Extracts require:

A Tableau Server / Cloud schedule

Internet access for Cloud

And extracts are not real-timeThis contradicts the requirement for real-time data and an offline environment.

To minimize user impact and costs while migrating from Tableau Server to Tableau Cloud with multiple sites, the best solution is:

Single Tableau Cloud Instance with Multiple Projects: Instead of multiple sites which could imply higher management overhead and possibly higher costs, configuring one Tableau Cloud instance with different project folders for each former site (Finance, Strategy, Marketing) is most efficient.

Benefits: This setup maintains organizational separation of data and access similar to having different sites but leverages the unified management and simplicity of a single cloud instance. It reduces complexity in user access management and integration points.

Implementation: Each project folder acts like a mini-site within the larger instance, where specific permissions and content can be managed independently, akin to the original server setup but within a single cloud-based environment.

References

This recommendation is in line with best practices for cloud migration focusing on consolidation and cost efficiency, as suggested in Tableau’s official documentation for cloud migration strategies.

When dashboards are published to Tableau Cloud, the function USERNAME() returns the user’s Tableau Cloud username, which is the email address associated with their Tableau Cloud account.

Tableau documentation states:

On Tableau Cloud, the value returned by USERNAME() is always the user’s email address.

Row-Level Security (RLS) is typically implemented using a comparison of USERNAME() to an email field in the data source.

For secure filtering, the field compared to USERNAME() must match the authentication identity exactly.

Looking at the provided table:

“Abbreviated Name” contains short custom codes like “SMiller,” which do not match Tableau Cloud usernames.

“Lower Case Name” contains names like “sean miller,” which also do not match Tableau Cloud usernames.

“Email” contains the full email address for each user, such as “Sean.Miller@superstore.com,” which is the only field that corresponds to what USERNAME() returns in Tableau Cloud.

Therefore, the correct field to reference is Email.

Tableau Cloud authentication documentation stating USERNAME() returns the user’s email address.

Row-Level Security setup guidance recommending the comparison USERNAME() = [Email Field].

Tableau security practices indicating only the email column will match USERNAME() values on Tableau Cloud.

To flag orders with sales higher than the regional average, the correct calculated field would compare the sum of sales for each order against the average sales of all orders within the same region:

Correct Formula: { FIXED [Order ID] : SUM([Sales]) } > { FIXED [Region] : AVG({ FIXED [Order ID] : SUM([Sales]) }) }

This calculation uses a Level of Detail (LOD) expression:

The left part of the formula { FIXED [Order ID] : SUM([Sales]) } calculates the total sales for each individual order.

The right part { FIXED [Region] : AVG({ FIXED [Order ID] : SUM([Sales]) }) } calculates the average sales per order within each region.

The > operator is used to compare these two values to determine if the sales for each order exceed the regional average.

References

This formula utilizes Tableau's LOD expressions to perform complex comparisons across different dimensions of the data, as explained in Tableau's official training materials on LOD calculations.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Tableau’s performance best-practice documentation explains that large workbooks containing many dashboards, multiple data sources, and complex interactions have heavier memory and CPU requirements. When a workbook grows too large, Tableau must:

Load every data source

Cache metadata for all sheets

Maintain connections across all dashboards

Render more worksheets simultaneously

This increases workbook load time and slows dashboard performance.

A documented method for improving performance is to split a large workbook into multiple smaller workbooks, each containing only the dashboards relevant to a particular audience or subject area. Smaller workbooks:

Reduce the amount of metadata Tableau must load

Reduce extract sizes per workbook

Improve caching efficiency

Improve dashboard loading and rendering time

Options A, B, and C do not improve workbook performance:

A. Converting Data Source Filters to Quick Filters reduces performance because Quick Filters (interactive filters) are more expensive than Data Source filters and slow down rendering.

B. Converting extracts to live connections typically worsens performance because live sources depend on database query speed, network latency, and server load.

C. Restricting users does not change workbook performance, only access.

Splitting the workbook is a recognized Tableau strategy for improving performance of large, multi-dashboard workbooks.

Tableau Performance Optimization guidelines encouraging splitting large workbooks into smaller ones.

Workbook design best practices emphasizing reduced complexity and smaller metadata footprints.

Documentation on performance costs associated with Quick Filters and multiple data sources.

For a consultant designing a dashboard to be consumed across multiple device types, the best approach is:

Multi-device Layout: Tableau provides the capability to design device-specific layouts within a single dashboard. This feature allows the dashboard to adapt its layout to best fit the screen size and orientation of desktops, tablets, and phones.

Fixed Size Layouts: By fixing the size of each layout, the consultant can ensure that the dashboard appears consistent and maintains the intended design elements and user experience across devices. Fixed sizes prevent components from resizing in ways that could disrupt the dashboard’s readability or functionality.

Implementation: In Tableau, you can create these layouts by selecting 'Device Preview' and adding custom layouts for each device type. Here, you define the dimensions and the positioning of sheets and controls tailored to each device's typical viewing mode.

References

This approach leverages Tableau’s device designer capabilities, which are specifically designed to optimize dashboards for multiple viewing environments, ensuring a seamless user experience regardless of the device used. This functionality is well documented in Tableau’s official guides on creating and managing device-specific dashboards.

To build efficient extracts from large data sources, it is crucial to minimize the load and optimize the performance of the extracts:

A. Keep only the data required for analysis by using extract filters: This best practice involves using filters to reduce the volume of data extracted, thus focusing only on the data necessary for analysis.

B. Use aggregate data for visible dimensions, whenever possible: Aggregating data at the time of extraction reduces the granularity of the data, which can significantly improve performance and reduce the size of the extract.

E. Hide all unused fields: Removing fields that are not needed for analysis from the extract reduces the complexity and size of the data model, which in turn enhances performance and speeds up load times.

These practices are endorsed in Tableau’s official documentation and training sessions as effective ways to enhance the performance of Tableau extracts and optimize dashboard responsiveness.

To ensure that users automatically see Tableau views of regional sales filtered by customer as they sign into Salesforce, embedding the views directly into Salesforce is most effective:

Embedding Views: Tableau provides capabilities to embed its dashboards into web applications such as Salesforce. This approach ensures that the visualization is part of the Salesforce user interface, enhancing user experience by not requiring users to navigate away from Salesforce to view the data.

Implement this by using Tableau's embedding code, which can be generated from the Tableau Server for each specific view. Place this embed code into the Salesforce Visualforce pages or use Salesforce Canvas to integrate these views seamlessly.

This setup allows the Tableau views to inherit user credentials from Salesforce, enabling personalized data visualization based on the user's access rights and region, directly aligned with their Salesforce login session.

References

The embedding technique is documented in both Tableau's and Salesforce's official integration guides, which provide step-by-step instructions on embedding Tableau views into Salesforce platforms.

The most efficient way to limit report visibility to specific user groups on Tableau Server is to manage permissions directly on the server. By granting access to the report only to the sales and marketing user groups, the client ensures that only members of these groups can view the report. This method is straightforward and does not require the additional steps involved in setting up row-level security or user filters.

Moving calculations to the data layer and materializing them in the extract can significantly improve the performance of reports in Tableau. The calculation ZN([Sales])*(1 - ZN([Discount])) is a basic calculation that can be easily computed in advance and stored in the extract, speeding up future queries. This type of calculation is less complex than table calculations or LOD expressions, which are better suited for dynamic analysis and may not benefit as much from materialization12.

To improve performance by moving calculations to the data layer and materializing them in the extract, the consultant should choose calculations that benefit from pre-computation and significantly reduce the load during query time:

Aggregation-Level Calculation: The formula SUM([Profit])/SUM([Sales]) calculates a ratio at an aggregate level, which is ideal for pre-computation. Materializing this calculation in the extract means that the complex division operation is done once and stored, rather than being recalculated every time the report is accessed.

Performance Improvement: By pre-computing this aggregate ratio, Tableau can utilize the pre-calculated fields directly in visualizations, which speeds up report loading and interaction times as the heavy lifting of data processing is done during the data preparation stage.

Given the need for up-to-date data on a daily basis and weekly revisions, the best approach is to use an incremental extract refresh daily to update the data source with new transactions. On Saturdays, when incorrect transactions are revised, a full extract refresh should be performed to incorporate all revisions and ensure the data’s accuracy. This strategy allows end users to have access to the most current data throughout the week while also accounting for any necessary corrections12.