Publishing and Sharing Workbooks in Tableau
Once you've built compelling visualizations and dashboards in Tableau Desktop, the next crucial step is to share your insights with stakeholders. Tableau offers robust publishing and sharing capabilities, allowing you to distribute your work effectively across your organization. This module will guide you through the process of publishing workbooks to Tableau Server, Tableau Cloud, and sharing them via Tableau Public.
Understanding Publishing Destinations
Tableau provides several destinations for publishing your workbooks, each suited for different organizational needs and data privacy requirements.
| Destination | Purpose | Access Control | Data Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tableau Server | Internal organizational sharing, controlled access | Managed by administrators, user roles and permissions | High; data remains within your organization's network |
| Tableau Cloud (formerly Tableau Online) | Cloud-based sharing for organizations using the cloud | Managed by administrators, user roles and permissions | High; data is hosted on Tableau's secure cloud infrastructure |
| Tableau Public | Public sharing of data visualizations, community engagement | Publicly accessible unless explicitly made private (limited) | Low; data and visualizations are publicly visible |
The Publishing Process in Tableau Desktop
Publishing a workbook from Tableau Desktop is a straightforward process. You'll typically navigate to the 'Server' menu and select 'Publish Workbook'.
Publishing involves selecting a destination, configuring workbook options, and embedding data sources.
When you initiate the publish process, a dialog box appears where you'll choose your target server or Tableau Public. You'll then configure settings like the project, workbook name, and whether to embed data sources or publish them separately.
The 'Publish Workbook' dialog box is your central hub for preparing your workbook for distribution. Key configurations include:
- Server/Site: Select the Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud site you wish to publish to.
- Project: Choose an existing project or create a new one to organize your work.
- Workbook Name: Assign a descriptive name.
- Data Sources: Decide whether to embed data sources directly into the workbook or publish them as separate data sources. Publishing data sources separately promotes reusability and consistency across multiple workbooks.
- Permissions: Define who can view, edit, and download your workbook.
- Embedding Credentials: You can choose to embed your data source credentials or prompt users to enter them. Embedding is convenient but may have security implications depending on your data source.
Embedding vs. Publishing Data Sources
A critical decision during publishing is how to handle your data sources. You can either embed them directly within the workbook or publish them as separate, reusable data sources on Tableau Server/Cloud.
Embedding a data source means the data connection details and the data itself (if extracted) are packaged directly within the .twbx file. Publishing a data source separately creates a reusable asset on Tableau Server/Cloud that multiple workbooks can connect to. This approach is often preferred for consistency, easier maintenance, and centralized data governance. Imagine a central library (published data source) that many people can borrow books from (connect to), versus each person bringing their own copy of a book (embedded data source).
Text-based content
Library pages focus on text content
Publishing data sources separately is a best practice for enterprise deployments, enabling data governance and consistency.
Sharing Options on Tableau Server/Cloud
Once published, your workbooks become interactive assets on Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud, accessible via a web browser or the Tableau mobile app. You can share them directly with individuals or groups.
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Sharing can be done by providing a direct URL to the workbook or by using the 'Share' functionality within Tableau Server/Cloud, which allows you to send email notifications to specific users or groups.
Sharing on Tableau Public
Tableau Public is designed for sharing your data stories with the world. Workbooks published here are publicly accessible and can be embedded into websites or blogs.
Tableau Server/Cloud offers controlled internal sharing with robust access management, while Tableau Public makes workbooks publicly accessible.
When publishing to Tableau Public, you have options to embed your workbook, download it, and even allow others to download the underlying data (if you choose). It's essential to be mindful of the data you share publicly.
Best Practices for Sharing
To ensure your shared workbooks are effective and well-received, consider these best practices:
- Organize with Projects: Use Tableau Server/Cloud projects to categorize and manage your workbooks logically.
- Clear Naming Conventions: Use descriptive names for workbooks and data sources.
- Leverage Published Data Sources: Promote reusability and consistency.
- Set Appropriate Permissions: Ensure only authorized users can access sensitive information.
- Add Descriptions: Provide context and guidance for users interacting with your dashboards.
- Consider Performance: Optimize your workbooks for faster loading times.
Learning Resources
Official Tableau documentation detailing the step-by-step process for publishing workbooks to Tableau Server from Tableau Desktop.
Comprehensive guide from Tableau on publishing workbooks to Tableau Cloud, covering essential settings and considerations.
Learn how to share your data visualizations with the world by publishing to Tableau Public, including privacy settings.
An overview of how Tableau Server facilitates collaboration and sharing of data insights within an organization.
Explores the collaborative features of Tableau Cloud, emphasizing how to effectively share dashboards and data.
The official Tableau Public website, where you can explore public visualizations and learn how to share your own.
Details on publishing data sources separately, a key practice for enterprise-level data management and sharing.
Understand how to manage access and permissions for workbooks and data sources on Tableau Server.
A practical video tutorial demonstrating effective ways to share Tableau dashboards with stakeholders.
A community forum where users discuss common issues and best practices related to publishing and sharing Tableau workbooks.