Tableau Best Practices

Data Source Design

Extract vs Live Connections

Use Extracts When:

Use Live Connections When:

Hybrid Approach (Best of Both):

Extract Optimization

Incremental Refresh:

Filter Extracts:

Use Multiple Connections Sparingly:

Calculation Best Practices

Calculation Performance Hierarchy

Fastest to Slowest:

Use Parameters for Flexibility

Dynamic Measure Selection:

Avoid Common Calculation Errors

Don't Compare Aggregates Without ATTR:

Use ZN() to Handle Nulls:

Be Explicit with Dates:

Dashboard Design

Performance Optimization

Limit Marks Per Sheet (< 10,000):

Reduce Dashboard Complexity:

Use Containers Efficiently:

Visual Design Principles

5-Second Rule: User should understand key insight within 5 seconds

The Big Number:

Color Usage:

Font Hierarchy:

Interactivity Patterns

Progressive Disclosure:

Filter Strategy:

Tooltip Best Practices:

Workbook Organization

Naming Conventions

Folder Structure

Version Control

Use Git for Tableau Files:

Meaningful Commit Messages:

Data Governance

Certified Data Sources

Row-Level Security

User Filter Pattern:

Entitlement Table with Parameters (for testing):

Sensitive Data

Hide Fields:

Remove from Workbook:

Encrypt Extracts:

Publishing and Deployment

Development Workflow

Extract Refresh Schedules

Performance Monitoring

Enable Performance Recording:

Optimize Slow Workbooks:

Accessibility

WCAG 2.1 Compliance

Color Contrast:

Alt Text:

Keyboard Navigation:

Screen Readers:

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

The "Everything Dashboard"

Death by PIE Chart

Over-Engineering

Ignoring Mobile

No Documentation

Testing Checklist

Before publishing to production:

Continuous Improvement

Collect User Feedback:

Monitor Usage:

Iterate:

Ready to see these best practices in action? Check out Use Cases for real-world examples!