Tableau has been one of the most popular data visualization and analytics tools among the business users in the last decade. With the new features it is even simpler to see and understand data. It is evident that Tableau is made with the intention of appealing to everyone, even those with very limited technical know-how. As always, the new version of Tableau is also packed with a punch. There are over 25 new features over the Desktop, Online, Prep and Mobile versions of the tool. Here are a few of them, that would significantly change the way you use this incredible platform. I have been using this tool since the release on 6th May 2020. After a week of using it, I am convinced that the changes are significant and extremely useful. This new version seems a lot smoother (yes, that is the feeling you get when you use it), even compared to 2020.1, which was released last quarter. I will be focussing on some of the changes in the first blog, that would give you an overview and help you get started with this. 1. Relationships As a trainer on Data Analytics for the last three years, I have experienced one struggle. It is about explaining the concepts of ‘Joins’ to business users. They find it confusing to know when to use ‘left join’ and when to use ‘full join’. (IT users and students had very limited issues since they have learned these concepts). Challenges like duplicate / repeating records in one of the tables (one to many mapping) is definitely hard to tackle unless you master the concepts and other techniques. However, in Tableau 2020.2, it uses ‘Relationships’ which is a much simpler and easier concept to understand, and Tableau does the heavy lifting if you are unsure In this version, you can create logical relationship with data, visually. Relationship creates aggregations when you build the visualizations, rather than joining them in the database. This means that you can forget worrying about having to keep the data in the same level of details and the complications that would arise if it is not. For those who are familiar with the tool, the visual difference itself is quite significant. As soon as you drag and drop the second and subsequent tables, a relationship line (‘Noodle’ is what Tableau named these lines) appears and makes it easy to define the connection. Once you add the table, a pop-up box suggests the best connection, where you can define further details (Cardinality and Referential Integrity) if needed. You can also view each of the tables independently even after defining the relationship. All you need to do, is just click on the table. You can also use the existing concepts of Union and Joins as well. Below is a simple example using Sample Superstore data. 2. Metrics Metrics is a concept that would appeal to the higher management and executives. This is an option where you can track all metrices of your interest in one place, despite of it being included in multiple Tableau workbooks. Instead of creating a ‘Master Workbook’ with all the metrics, which involved development and maintenance effort, we can now do it with a simple click. It will add the Metrics or KPIs to the main Project folder itself. In addition, you can also see the trend of that particular metric over the period when the data refreshes. In the example below, I have one Project in Tableau Online, which has got multiple dashboards catering to different business areas. I am adding two metrics: the number of male employees in the organization, and the YTD Sales. Since the data is not refreshed, the timeline will be empty. Just check out how easy it is to add the Metrics to monitor it continuously and effectively. 3. Set Controls and Set Action Updates While this might be described as a new feature, it, in fact, opens a whole new set of opportunities to interact with your visualizations. If I try to describe set Controls in Tableau 2020.2, it can be simplified as an option in which we can include or exclude elements in a set in a simple drop-down (similar to ‘Filters’). The addition or deletion or new values in a set can significantly change the way we see the data. This means that the end user can perform a variety of analysis in the front end. Check out the video below. Set actions also has got two new selection modes as well in the new version. Tableau 2020.2. Instead of only assigning the set values, Set Action can now add or remove values incrementally, by interacting with the marks. Zen Masters ‘The Flerlage Twins’ have a blog that explains all the features in details about this new set action option. You can check it out.: 4. Other Changes No Dimensions or Measures: One of the noticeable differences compared to the previous version, is the absence of sections for Dimensions and Measures. While there is separation line, it is less distracting than the previous versions. It is not only the Dimensions and Measure that got combined, but also the section for Sets. In this version, when you add a Set it will be added as another field in the table, just like a calculated field. This also makes complete sense, since the Sets already have a separate icon to denote them, and it can be clearly understood before using it for any analysis. However, there is a separate section for Parameters. Always on Search Bar: Also, the Search bar is now always visible and cannot be hidden, unlike the previous version. I prefer this option since I almost always enable the search and never hides it afterwards. The Search bar sits comfortably in the space that is created when the titles for Dimensions and Measures are removed. In addition, when you type a field name after selecting any field, it automatically goes to that field despite of whether it is Measure or a Dimension. This is similar to us typing a folder or filename to find it in a Windows Folder Explorer. No more ‘Number of Records’: Another difference is the absence of ‘Number of Records’ field. This is now replaced with a non-editable and non-removable field: ‘Tablename (Count)’. Since the data is defined by relationship and not joined, there will be multiple such fields if you use multiple data sources. Similarly, when we choose ‘View Data’, there will be multiple tabs based on the number of data sources we use. I have tried to show these in the image below. 5. Explain Data and Ask Data Improvements There are significant improvements in these features in every version and this time is no different. Even with all the AI capabilities, there would be times when we want to take control. Explain Data in the new version gives you that extra control that was missing in the earlier version. Authors can now choose which fields to be included in modelling Explain data, giving you the option to input your business logic to it. Explain data also allows you analyse more than just one outlier in the latest version. However, this option seems to be missing for relational databases. When it comes to Ask Data, you can now provide custom suggestions based on data roles. In addition, the synonyms applied for one field can be published to use across data sources. It also supports scripted data sources in the new version and has some improvements on enterprise controls. As mentioned at the beginning, there are several other features in Tableau 2020.2. It would be extremely difficult to include all those in just one post. There are other changes like Recommendations on Mobile, Manual sorting of Favourites, publishing directly from the browser without having to open the dashboard on Tableau Desktop etc. and so on. I hope you got an overview to some of the new features and want to explore more. Let us know your thoughts and how these features were beneficial to you. As mentioned at the beginning, there are several other features in Tableau 2020.2. It would be extremely difficult to include all those in just one post. There are other changes like Recommendations on Mobile, Manual sorting of Favourites, publishing directly from the browser without having to open the dashboard on Tableau Desktop etc. and so on. I hope you got an overview to some of the new features and want to explore more. Let us know your thoughts and how these features were beneficial to you.

We need to do more than what corporate performance management has traditionally enabled to move from strategy to strategic actions while forecasting, monitoring, and managing performance.

What is Corporate Performance Management?

Undoubtedly not a new concept, corporate performance management is often referred to as business or enterprise performance management. Gartner defines corporate performance management or CPM as “an umbrella term that describes the methodologies, metrics, processes and systems used to monitor and manage the business performance of an enterprise”. And that is indeed a broad scope as business performance does touch several areas.

Corporate performance management isn't a matter of technologies or solutions or an isolated activity or strategy—the holistic perspective is crucial. Getting strategic, financial, analytical, and business knowledge is just one aspect of the equation that will help you make better business decisions.

The four crucial techniques linked to effective performance management are listed below:

• Analysis of the chance and choose the high-impact use cases to benefit from artificial intelligence
• Automation of tasks and establishing a long-term strategy to find quick wins for an all-encompassing change with automation
• Capturing of the value by streamlining jobs to manage organisational transformation and adopt an end-to-end process view.
• Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into an operational model to make a transformational impact, analyse data to make wise decisions, and develop the capacity for ongoing improvement

How has AI impacted CPM?

The face of corporate performance management is changing due to artificial intelligence, among other things, in monitoring, reporting, analysis, forecasting, and analytical intelligence (as provided by analytical applications).

• The past corporate performance management only partially made it possible to foresee the future. But the present AI advancements help in real-time analysis, predictions, and future-oriented decision-making.
• With the help of artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, statistical forecasting, the analysis of vast amounts of market intelligence, decision-making can be made outside the traditional realm of historical information. When AI tracks KPIs and makes more data-based decisions, performance management can improve significantly.

Historically speaking, leveraging data has improved over time, opening more opportunities to learn from the past and present and, most importantly, to comprehend and plan using the proper KPIs. This is true within the broader context of strategy and planning in a corporate performance monitoring, reporting, and analysis environment.

To enable analysis, produce measurements, and changes, AI is integrated into the performance management process. Better performance management procedures can be sped up with artificial intelligence, increasing transparency and sustaining employee interest. Furthermore, corporate performance management enables better leverage of all data in the organisation’s ecosystem and helps to achieve its strategic objectives.

Advantages of a CPM Software

Corporations must adopt process automation in the age of business management intelligence. Here are a few advantages of using a CPM system.

1. Immediate feedback
Intelligent dashboards built into performance management software offer all the quantifiable metrics a management team could need to make decisions. The benefit, though, is not in the variety. It lies in the capacity to interpret and use data as changes occur in real-time throughout the entire organisation.
2. Data consolidation for easy management
The tools have the intelligence to gather, group, and combine data from multiple sources, be it departments, spreadsheets, or even companies.
3. Make risk management simple
The incorporation of tools like what-if models is a crucial benefit of CPM. By simulating the best- and worst-case situations, for example, the model equips managers to reduce risks and make wise decisions.
4. Offer primary data access and feedback
Managers may easily access information through performance management systems, promoting accuracy and quality.
5. Ease of collaboration
CPM tools are locally integrated and cloud-connected for all users to keep in sync across all departments.
6. Boost the standard of talent management
Recruiters and business leaders are now concentrating on employing AI-driven performance management to enhance the caliber of their hiring. It assists them in finding the appropriate talent pool and selecting the best candidates.
7. Effective data analytics for problem-solving
AI is a real game-changer in performance management systems and helps leaders and stakeholders make data-driven decisions and solve current challenges.
8. Developing a collaborative environment
Finally, businesses succeed when they concentrate on developing a collaborative environment where there is no place for hierarchy, bias, or inconsistent behaviour. AI in performance management systems will enable executives to spend more time on their employees and provide brilliant ideas.

What does Beinex offer?

STRACT by Beinex is an indisputably efficient tool that helps it deliver optimised business performance. It allows businesses to forecast, track, assess, and identify areas for improvement across all operations. Companies can thoroughly and comprehensively analyse all relevant financial and operational metrics across various levels of the business by consolidating data and performance metrics into one centralised database and then measuring this against their strategic goals.

STRACT is a comprehensive solution with features that allow you to create much more accurate and flexible budgets, enhancing your current business and resource planning and forecasting.

What is Tableau Server Health Check?

Tableau Server Health Check comprehensively evaluates the server's performance, configuration, and overall health. It aims to ensure that the server operates optimally, providing a seamless and efficient user experience. Regular health checks can prevent performance degradation, identify potential issues before they become critical, and ensure that the server environment is configured according to best practices.

Critical Components of a Tableau Server Health Check • Server Performance • Server Configuration • Resource Utilization • Content and Workbook

When Should You Perform a Tableau Server Health Check?

1. Regular Maintenance
• Quarterly or Bi-Annually: Conducting a health check every three to six months helps identify potential issues early and maintain optimal performance over time.
2. Performance Issues
• Slow Load Times: If users experience slow load times for dashboards and reports, it clearly indicates that a health check is needed to diagnose and resolve performance bottlenecks. • Frequent Server Crashes: Regular crashes or downtime are signs of underlying issues that need immediate attention.
3. Major Updates or Upgrades
• Before and After Upgrades: Perform a health check before upgrading to a new version of Tableau Server to ensure the current environment is stable. Conduct another check after the upgrade to verify everything is working correctly and optimize new features.
4. Changes in Usage Patterns
• Increase in User Base: A health check ensures the server can handle the new load effectively if the number of users or the volume of data being processed significantly increases significantly.
5. User Feedback
• Negative User Feedback: If users report consistent issues with dashboard performance, accessibility, or other aspects of Tableau Server, it’s crucial to perform a health check to address these concerns.
6. System Configuration Changes
• Infrastructure Changes: Changes to the underlying infrastructure, such as hardware upgrades or network configuration changes, should be followed by a health check to ensure everything is configured optimally.

What are the Benefits of Tableau Server Health?

• Improved Performance • Better User Experience • Improving allocation of server resources and license management. • Increasing server stability, reliability, and uptime. • Scalability and Future Planning

How Does Beinex Conduct Tableau Health Check?

Our certified Tableau experts will evaluate your server environment and deliver a comprehensive report to help you identify and mitigate risks. Our process is structured into three main phases: Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Recommendation. Each phase focuses on different aspects of the server's operation to ensure that it meets your organization's needs and performs optimally. • Evaluation - We assess the size and configuration of your server, the performance of all data extracts and dashboards, server security, and more • Diagnose - We parse through server logs and review usage metrics to diagnose the root cause of any issues • Recommend - We present findings, best practices, and recommendations that you can act on immediately

Why Choose Beinex?

• Certified Team of Server Experts At Beinex, we pride ourselves on having a team of certified Tableau experts who bring extensive knowledge and experience to every project. Our specialists have the latest certifications and are continually updated with the newest Tableau features and best practices. • 300+ Tableau Deployments & Upgrades With over 300 successful Tableau deployments and upgrades under our belt, Beinex has a proven track record of delivering exceptional results. Our extensive experience spans various industries and business sizes, allowing us to understand and address the unique challenges different organizations face. • Tableau Premier Partner As a Tableau Premier Partner, Beinex stands among a select group of top-tier Tableau partners worldwide. This prestigious partnership recognizes our commitment to excellence and ability to deliver high-quality Tableau solutions.

How Beinex Can Assist You

Beinex, a premier Tableau partner, provides sustainable analytics solutions to organizations and helps to build superior data visual analytics capabilities internally through our bespoke training programs. Our team of Tableau-certified consultants are real-life Tableau business users passionate about Tableau and delivering a world-class experience. Connect with us: https://www.beinex.com/tableau-beinex/

AWS and Pay-as-you-go Model

AWS adopts a pay-as-you-go model for the majority of its cloud services. This means you pay only for the specific services you use, for the duration of your usage, and without the need for lengthy contracts or intricate licensing agreements. The pricing structure is akin to paying for utilities such as water and electricity – you are charged solely for the services consumed, and once you cease using them, no additional costs or termination fees apply.
The pay-as-you-go system with AWS ensures that you pay only for the resources your organisation utilises, promoting agility, responsiveness, and scalability. This approach allows you to effortlessly adjust to evolving business requirements without committing to fixed budgets, ultimately enhancing your ability to respond to changes promptly.
In essence, paying for services on a needed basis empowers your organisation to focus on growth and efficiency rather than getting bogged down by unnecessary expenses.
Let’s understand the key benefits AWS customers can reap from embracing AWS Cloud Infrastructure services, unlocking a world of possibilities for organisations seeking to transform their operations and drive unparalleled value.

AWS Economic Overview: Realizing Significant Savings

An economic analysis by the Enterprise Strategy Group highlights that migrating on-premises workloads to AWS results in substantial savings and benefits across various categories:

1. Cost Optimization and Improved Operational Efficiency
2. Faster Time to Value and Improved Business Agility
3. Reduced Risk to the Organization

Let's explore how these benefits unfold in the AWS Cloud Infrastructure journey:

1. Cost Optimization and Improved Operational Efficiency

By transitioning to AWS Cloud Infrastructure, organisations shed the complexity and burden associated with on-premises operations. This shift allows IT infrastructure teams to focus on business innovation rather than managing hardware, creating a ripple effect that enhances the efficiency of application, development, and data service teams. The move to AWS results in simplified administration, automated tasks, and substantial time savings, with reported efficiencies ranging from 60% to 70%.

a. Designed for Best Price-Performance: Employing Customized Solutions

AWS's commitment to delivering the best price-performance for many applications and workloads is evident in its continuous innovation. From the Nitro System and AWS Graviton processors to AWS Trainium and Inferentia accelerators, AWS has engineered custom silicon that optimises performance and efficiency, allowing organisations to achieve cost savings while enjoying top-notch performance.

b. Financial Flexibility, Predictability, and Visibility: Enabling Decision-Making

AWS offers a transparent monthly billing model, shifting organisations from up-front capital investments to a more flexible and predictable cost structure. With tools like AWS Cost Explorer, customers gain visibility into resource utilisation and identify cost-saving opportunities. Flexible purchase models, including On-Demand Instances, Spot Instances, and Savings Plans, provide financial flexibility, enabling organisations to meet infrastructure needs while staying within budget constraints.

c. Managed Services: Enabling Business Transformation

AWS-managed services not only free up internal teams from infrastructure maintenance but also allow them to scale operations using fully managed services. By reducing administrative burdens through offerings for monitoring, incident detection, security functions, and more, organisations can focus on delivering superior data services and business logic. The AWS Partner Network (APN) further enhances this capability, offering a global community of partners to collaborate with and derive greater business value.

d. Improved Environmental Sustainability: A Commitment to a Greener Future

As environmental, social, and governance goals take centre stage, organisations benefit from AWS's global infrastructure to lower their carbon footprint. Moving from on-premises to AWS Cloud Infrastructure can lead to a significant reduction in electricity consumption and associated costs. AWS's commitment to powering operations with renewable energy aligns with the sustainability goals of organisations, contributing to a greener and more responsible future.

2. Faster Time to Value and Enhanced Business Agility

Embracing change can be challenging for any IT organisation, particularly for large enterprises deeply invested in on-premises technology. Overcoming hurdles such as standardising organisational structures and adopting best practices adds complexity to the transition. However, AWS offers a compelling solution, guiding organisations seamlessly through the shift from on-premises environments to the cloud. This transition not only occurs swiftly and securely but also brings about a significant improvement in business agility, unlocking outcomes that were previously unattainable.

a. Faster time to migration

Transitioning on-premises workloads to AWS Cloud Infrastructure enables organisations to swiftly leverage modern end-to-end data architectures. This facilitates immediate benefits in storing, protecting, analysing, visualising, and extracting valuable insights from data. Remarkably, a customer successfully migrated their business applications to AWS in a single weekend, involving over 200,000 business customers and 400 internal users across three global locations.
AWS, as a cloud provider, offers a comprehensive range of services and features within those services, making the process faster, easier, safer, and more cost-effective. Whether rehosting workloads or relocating entire data centres, AWS empowers organisations to build virtually anything, providing confidence through proven phased methods, assessment tools, and mobilisation support.

b. Accelerated path to modernisation and continuous innovation

AWS stands out by delivering unique capabilities and technologies that enable customers to experiment and innovate rapidly. The cloud infrastructure allows customers to benefit from continuous innovation in modern computing, networking, and storage technologies without needing on-premises forklift refreshes.
Technologies like the AWS Nitro System, Amazon FSx for Lustre, and various deployment options empower organisations to modernise applications, accelerate development, and explore edge computing solutions seamlessly. AWS connects containers and microservices with application-level networking, secure API gateways, and advanced tools for modernising or re-platforming applications.

c. Expedited data delivery and insights

The AWS Global Infrastructure facilitates secure, extensive, and reliable global cloud operations. Customers can seamlessly deliver data, applications, and services to regions worldwide while meeting SLAs. Leveraging AWS Direct Connect, customers can run applications using on-premises and cloud resources without compromising performance, ensuring private, secure connections bypassing the internet.
AWS tools and services enable the transformation, enrichment, and accessibility of data for diverse workloads such as AI, ML, HPC, and BI. Customers experience improved data-driven services, efficient access for remote workers through AWS Client VPN, and high-performance applications at the edge using CDN services like Amazon CloudFront.

d. Improved scalability and business agility

AWS empowers organisations to scale computing, networking, and storage resources swiftly in response to changing business demands. With minimal planning, customers can provide additional resources in minutes, starkly contrasting the weeks or months required on-premises. Leveraging AWS Auto Scaling and intelligent optimisation tools, customers ensure predictable, steady performance while optimising costs.
Enhanced scalability allows for dynamic adjustments to resource capacity, saving developers significant time in manual infrastructure maintenance and scaling. Customers can precisely provision resources, proactively reducing infrastructure costs, and flexibly choose from 600 compute instances to meet workload requirements. This flexibility extends to running applications on VMs, containers, or serverless services, enabling deployment options across geographic regions, data centres, or at the edge.

Reduced Risk to the Organization

In prioritising security, AWS is a trusted partner for organisations, addressing concerns related to data protection, service interruptions, data corruption, compliance, and malicious intent. Security holds paramount importance in the design of the AWS Global Infrastructure, custom-built for the cloud and continuously monitored to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of customer data.

a. Comprehensive Security Measures:

Protection at all levels, including physical security, infrastructure security, network backbone security, and data security. Rigorous access controls, encryption, retention, and auditing to meet compliance requirements. AWS’s commitment to ongoing investments in security technologies and operational best practices.

b. Shared Responsibility Model:

Security and compliance shared responsibility between AWS and the customer. AWS manages components from the host operating system to physical security, while customers handle the guest operating system, application software, and AWS security group firewall configuration.

c. Data Protection and Security:

AWS offers built-in security features at the chip level through the Nitro System, ensuring continuous monitoring and verification. Virtualisation resources are offloaded to dedicated hardware and software, minimising the attack surface. The security model of the Nitro System is locked down to prevent administrative access, reducing the risk of human error and tampering. AWS provides tools for data resiliency, including snapshots, versioning, and full backup and recovery solutions.

d. Secure Access Control and Operations:

AWS customers have tools for securing access, including a centralised firewall, AWS Identity and Access Management, encryption features, and more. Features like Amazon S3 Object Lock, checksums, replication, and versioning ensure data integrity. Protection against exploits and DDoS events with AWS Web Application Firewall (WAF) and AWS Shield.

e. Improved Compliance:

AWS customers receive tools and visibility to demonstrate compliance locally and regionally. AWS CloudTrail helps organisations avoid penalties for regulatory non-compliance.

f. Data Sovereignty and Privacy:

Organisations retain control over data storage, security, and access. AWS ensures data remains within chosen AWS Regions and is committed to confidential computing. Specialised hardware and firmware protect customer code and data from external access.
Summing Up
Embracing AWS Cloud Infrastructure services is not just a technological upgrade; it's a strategic move that unleashes innovation, enhances efficiency, and aligns businesses with the future of digital transformation. The transformative journey with AWS goes beyond cost savings; it's about realizing the full potential of technology to drive growth, agility, and sustainability in an ever-changing landscape. As organisations navigate the complexities of the digital age, AWS stands as a trusted partner, offering a robust foundation for a future-ready enterprise.