TABLEAU 2020.3 NEW FEATURES – TOP PICKS

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How AI Decision-Making is Improving Enterprise Outcomes

I’ve always been a huge Tableau fan as they never fail to impress me by bringing out new exciting features in every release. Tableau has yet again released a new version after a thorough research based on people’s experience, thoughts, and comments. As a result, Tableau 2020.3 has an exciting feature with respect to Predictive modelling functions, especially useful to advanced analytics geeks. There are so many other new features which everyone will appreciate – such as IN operator for calculations, Search improvements in data pane, Data quality warnings on Tableau Server and many more! Here are my top picks from the list. The IN Operator The much-awaited feature for the SQL lovers. The IN operator is a shorthand replacement for multiple OR functions. By using IN operator, we will be able to create concise calculation fields instead of never-ending lines of ‘OR’. Let’s look into a simple use case by assuming that I am interested to know the sales value of ‘Apple Products’ compared to all other products, then I can use IN operator to with IF statement to group the products to “Apple Product” and “Other Products” IF [Product Name] IN (‘Apple iPhone 5′,’Apple iPhone 5C’,’Apple iPhone 5S’) THEN “Apple Products” ELSE “Other Products” END

Search improvements in Data pane While developing business specific dashboards, we need to create several calculations and its needs to be adjusted or new calculations needs to be created from existing calculations as per the business unit’s requirements. With the newly added Search improvement feature, our lives are made easy by searching or filtering specific filed based on field name, type, or comments.

Search improvements in Data pane Write to external databases in Tableau Prep

Write to external databases in Tableau Prep The wow moment for prep is here with the introduction of the ability to output to a database. In all previous versions of Prep, we have been able to write to an extract file or csv, and now from the latest 2020.3 introduces the ability to output to a database. Currently supported databases are SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Amazon Redshift, Snowflake, Oracle, and Teradata. As shown in the below example, result from the flow can be saved to a data base table from the output step by choosing “Database table” option, specify your server connection (with login credentials) , choose the data base and then the table. And now, Write to database will power the analytics journey by helping to solve the issues related to, data sources, data security and data governance Open or Upload Workbooks On The Web within Tableau Server Sharing your work and exploring insights from others just got easier. You can now open a Tableau workbook or upload it straight to the web without having to use Tableau Desktop. Simply select the workbook (.twb or .twbx) you want to upload and publish directly to your site on Tableau Server or Online. Only users with the appropriate publishing permissions will have the ability to upload content.

Open or Upload Workbooks On The Web within Tableau Server Three refresh options are available, they are

Create table- if the table is an already existing one, it will be deleted

Append to Table –Without impacting the existing records, data will be added as new records

Replace Data – This selection will Replaces data in the existing table.

Earlier prep was used mainly for

Preparing data so that it can be used in extract refresh of exiting tableau dashboards

Generic data preparations and export to csv

Set Data Quality Warnings on Tableau Server

Data quality warnings make it possible to let users know when a data asset is flagged, whether because the data is under maintenance, it’s stale, or some other reason. With high visibility data quality warnings, not only let users know about the issue but make sure they do not miss it. Are you interested in learning more about Tableau’s new features or the features? Are you a Tableau user and would like to become a Tableau Champion? If the answer to the above questions is a big “YES”, Please contact us at training@beinex.com/ info@beinex.com and we would be happy to schedule a Tableau demo or training for you and your company.

Predictive Modelling Function Now the predictive genes would be happy to see more features on the prediction module of Tableau. With the added advantages of the functions MODEL_QUANTILE and MODEL_PERCENTILE, now the prediction function goes beyond the existing trendline analysis. Both the functions will help to build a model that understands how your data is distributed around a best-fit line. MODEL_QUANTILE is a table calculation that returns a target value at a specified percentile, based on other predictors MODEL_PERCENTILE is a table calculation that returns the probability of the expected value being less than or equal to the observed mark, based on other predictors Search improvements in Data pane While developing business specific dashboards, we need to create several calculations and its needs to be adjusted or new calculations needs to be created from existing calculations as per the business unit’s requirements. With the newly added Search improvement feature, our lives are made easy by searching or filtering specific filed based on field name, type, or comments.

Search improvements in Data pane Write to external databases in Tableau Prep

Open or Upload Workbooks On The Web within Tableau Server Three refresh options are available, they areCreate table- if the table is an already existing one, it will be deleted

Append to Table –Without impacting the existing records, data will be added as new records

Replace Data – This selection will Replaces data in the existing table.

Earlier prep was used mainly forPreparing data so that it can be used in extract refresh of exiting tableau dashboards

Generic data preparations and export to csv

Set Data Quality Warnings on Tableau Server

Don’t Miss Out on These 6 New Features of Tableau 2023.2

List of Key Features in Tableau 2023.2

Enhanced Multi-row calculations in Tableau Prep
Line Patterns
Personal Access Token Admin Control
Editable Viz Alt Text
Salesforce Data Cloud Connector
Effortless Tracking of Known Issues

1. Enhanced Multi-row calculations in Tableau Prep

Gone are the days of complex formulas and tedious coding. With just a few clicks, Tableau Prep empowers you to perform multiple-row calculations, making your data preparation process a breeze. Calculate the difference from, percent difference from, or even execute moving calculations effortlessly without breaking a sweat.

Tableau Prep's enhanced calculation capabilities are like a magic wand in your hands, eliminating the need for intricate calculations or diving into complicated code. You're now equipped with the tools to effortlessly transform your raw data into actionable insights, paving the way for smarter decision-making and unlocking the true potential of your analytics journey.

Get ready to unleash the full potential of your data with LOOKUP calculations. Seamlessly compose complex expressions that enable you to access and analyse data across multiple rows, empowering you to unveil hidden insights and patterns.

2. Introducing Line Patterns

The next game-changing feature in Tableau 2023.2 is Line Patterns. This exciting addition provides a whole new level of flexibility and customisation when it comes to creating visually stunning data visualisations.

With Line Patterns, you now have the power to choose from a variety of line styles, including solid, dashed, or dotted lines. These patterns allow you to effortlessly highlight specific areas of interest within your visualisations, making it easier than ever to convey complex information with clarity and impact.

Imagine comparing actual data against modelled values with striking visual cues or effortlessly differentiating lines in dynamic or crowded visualisations. Line Patterns give you the ability to create eye-catching visuals that captivate your audience and make your data come to life. No longer will you be limited to static, monotonous lines. Line Patterns empower you to add a touch of creativity and personalisation to your visualisations.

3. Personal Access Token Admin Control

Gone are the days of compromising on security compliance. With this latest release, Site Admins are granted an array of tools to manage PAT creation privileges, tailor their validity periods to organisational needs, and wield their data protection prowess like never before. You hold the keys From a single dashboard to determine who can create PATs and fine-tune their lifespans, ranging from a day to a full year.

But the excitement doesn't stop there! We've taken proactive security measures to the next level. For Tableau Cloud sites created after version 2023.2, PATs come disabled by default, providing an additional layer of protection. Moreover, we've listened to your feedback, and the default expiration period has been thoughtfully shortened to 180 days, aligning with best practices and ensuring optimal data security.

4. Editable Viz Alt Text

With the latest feature, content authors have the power to edit the automatically generated alt text, opening the doors to endless possibilities. Whether through the Data Guide panel or the Accessibility option in the Worksheet drop-down menu, you can now add up to 2,500 characters of detailed alt text to craft captivating descriptions that bring your visualisations to life. Step into a realm of creativity and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone can fully comprehend and appreciate the story behind your data.

5. Salesforce Data Cloud Connector

With Tableau's enhanced Salesforce Data Cloud connector, say goodbye to complex installations as this driverless connector effortlessly connects your data sources. Use Data Spaces, where you can create customised visualisations tailored to specific contexts, organising metadata, data, and processes to empower stakeholders. Enjoy a user-friendly interface that replaces object API names with object labels, making table selection a breeze. With support for 11 additional functions, including datetime capabilities, supercharge your content creation and data analysis processes.

6. Effortless Tracking of Known Issues

We've streamlined the process of tracking known issues, making it effortless to stay in the loop. Discover the centralised Known Issues page, where you can effortlessly monitor the status of experiences, from working as expected to be in review, in progress, scheduled, or deployed. With intuitive drop-down filters, you can easily navigate through Tableau components and subscribe to specific issues for automatic email updates.

Additionally, our revamped Tableau Help now includes comprehensive "Release Notes" documentation, offering insights into new features and updates across Tableau Cloud, Tableau Server, Tableau Desktop, and Tableau Prep. Stay informed, empowered, and ahead of the curve with our enhanced status tracking and knowledge resources.

Upgrade to Tableau 2023.2

The release of Tableau 2023.2 brings a host of exciting features and enhancements that empower users to unlock the full potential of their data. With each release, Tableau continues to evolve and revolutionise the data analytics landscape, empowering users to discover insights, tell compelling stories, and easily make data-driven decisions. Upgrade to Tableau 2023.2 and embark on a data exploration and innovation journey like never before.

If you are interested in learning more about earlier versions of Tableau, click the links below:

Tableau New Features Unveiled: Tableau 2023.1 Release

Tableau Version 2021.4: Bringing Automation to Data Management

How Beinex Can Assist You

Beinex, a premier Tableau partner, provide sustainable analytics solutions to organisations and help 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 who are passionate about Tableau and delivering a world-class experience. Connect with us for a Tableau free trial.

Understanding What is Data Catalog: A Guide to Data Cataloging Best Practices

What is a Data Catalog?

A centralized repository, Data Catalog, stores metadata about an organization's data assets. It provides a single source of truth for an organization's data, making it easier to discover, access, and manage. A data catalog is a directory that helps users navigate and understand the organization's data landscape. Here are some of the key features of a data catalog. • Managing metadata, including data descriptions and relations, about the data assets of an enterprise
• Enabling easy discovery and locating of data assets through a user-friendly interface
• Categorizing data assets based on criteria like confidentiality, sensitivity, etc.
• Supporting data lineage by providing information about data assets' origin, movement, and transformation.
• Enhancing data governance by providing data stewardship, data quality management, and compliance management features.
• Facilitating integration with various data sources, including relational databases, cloud storage, and big data platforms.

Data Cataloging Best Practices for Effective Management

1. Start with a clear goal

Before implementing the data catalog, define the reasons you need. If you have clear goals, you can decide which data sources to prioritize, which features to enable, and how success is measured. The general goals are: • Improving data coverage
• Enhancing data governance
• Enabling self-service analytics support
• Ensuring compliance with official compliance
• Promoting cooperation between teams

2. Focus only on the data that rely on catalogs

Avoid the temptation to catalog all the data you have. Instead, focus on high-quality data assets, reports, dashboards, and pipelines commonly or critically used in business processes. This keeps the catalogs manageable and relevant.

3. Automate metadata collections

Documenting manual data is time-consuming and error-prone. Record schedules, table relationships, data lines, and usage patterns directly from data sources using a data catalog tool with automated metadata harvesting. This will keep your catalog up to date with minimal manual effort.

4. Promote collaboration

Large data catalogs combine machine-generated metadata with human knowledge. To improve their value, data managers, analysts, and business users must:

• Add explanations and relevant business areas. • Assess and label data assets (reliable, certified, etc.) while providing insights on how data records are used in your project. • Share queries and analysis to enhance accessibility and understanding.
This collaborative approach transforms catalogs into dynamic, valuable resources rather than static inventories.

5. Define the database

Each data record must have a clear owner responsible for ensuring the data's quality, documentation, and suitability. Data owners (often data managers or specialists) are key actors who can trust catalogs and keep them from date to date.

6. Define and implement governance guidelines

Data catalogs are about more than just discovering data. It is also a powerful tool that supports data governance. Strong governance practices help build trust in your data catalog and ensure it supports regulatory needs. The key governance measures include: • Follow anyone with data, access, or modifications.
• Apply data classification (sensitive, published, internally).
• Enforce access control.
• Document compliance requirements (such as GDPR and HIPAA).

7. Enable easy and intuitive search for better data discovery

Data catalogs should work like a fast, intuitive, keyword-friendly search engine, enabling users to search for technical and business terms. Search results should show useful contexts (explanation, usage statistics, popularity). Filters and tags help narrow down your results easily. A user-friendly search experience drives acceptance and makes data coverage faster.

8. Monitor catalog consumption and commitment

Track how users interact with the data catalog to see what works and where there are gaps. Certain useful indicators include: • Most terms were searched.
• Most of the data records considered
• Contribution rate (how often users add descriptions, reviews, or comments)
• User recruitment rate across all teams
This data helps continually improve the catalog and translate it into user requirements.

9. Review and organize regularly

Like other systems, data catalogs can become overcrowded over time. A clean and well-maintained catalog makes navigating easier and encourages more trust. Some best practices include: • Setting up a regular catalog audit
• Archiving outdated or unused data records • Delete duplicate entries • Updating the old document
• Identifying data assets that new owners need

Unlocking the Power of Data Cataloging with Alation

An effective data catalog is not just a tool—it’s a foundation for a data-driven culture. By following these data cataloging best practices, organizations can transform their catalogs into trusted, collaborative resources that drive informed decision-making. Alation, a leader in data intelligence, empowers businesses with an AI-driven data catalog that streamlines metadata management, enhances data governance, and fosters collaboration. Alation’s advanced capabilities include: • Automated metadata harvesting
• AI-powered data discovery and recommendations
• Robust governance and compliance tools
• Self-service analytics enablement
Alation’s data catalog is designed to help organizations like yours build trust in data, enhance compliance, and improve decision-making efficiency.

Get Started with Alation and Beinex

In collaboration with Alation, Beinex helps businesses implement a modern data cataloging strategy, ensuring seamless integration and regulatory compliance. Whether you’re just starting or refining your existing catalog, our expertise can accelerate your data governance journey. Connect with us for a free demo: www.beinex.com/beinex-alation

How Mywhoosh Standardized Collaborative Workflow Creation by Implementing the “Alteryx Server” Platform on AWS that Paved the Way for 20% Better Business Predictions

Once a workflow is built, users want to share, secure, schedule, and monitor the assets that have been built. Alteryx Server allows users to publish their workflows to a central location where the workflows can be stored, shared, and controlled in a safe and “enterprise-grade” solution.

Challenge

The IT infrastructure of MyWhoosh where the Alteryx Server platform was hosted was in an on-premise datacenter which was designed to be scalable and robust with multi node physical clusters including the server, storage and network components. However, most of the physical hardware was quite old and not equipped with the latest generation of physical servers.
Frequent hardware crashes and portal downtime kept troubling the availability of the Alteryx Server application. Assigning a touch hand support person to power on the hardware that was down seemed quite impossible due the restrictions during covid period. Hence, MyWhoosh wanted to look for another viable solution.
Though the hardware setup at MyWhoosh was well equipped to meet the occasional spikes in the traffic, it was observed that over a course of 6-month time, most of the IT infra was underutilized than predicted. It was realized that spending huge amount of money on an old hardware plus software maintenance, license costs, internet bandwidth, datacenter cooling and maintenance, touch support personnel and electricity costs – were keeping the business operations challenging.
There was an attempt by MyWhoosh to select a cost-effective solution that can host Alteryx Server application servers, web servers and archival data. This way IT infra can be re-provisioned to host sensitive data on-premise and the rest on the cloud, thereby reducing the overall physical hardware costs spent on a yearly basis.

Why AWS

MyWhoosh decided to migrate Alteryx Server, database servers and archival data to AWS.
The Alteryx Server’s AWS architecture includes Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), that provides complete control of its computing resources, updates to tables in Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) and AWS Elastic Load Balancer was used to distribute the traffic to the underlying EC2 instances based on the load.

Benefits

MyWhoosh uses AWS services to provision infrastructure and deploy the Alteryx Server platform to other departments within it. In addition, the Alteryx Server resources that are no longer required to be run all the time are made to auto shutdown thus saving cost. MyWhoosh reported a 30% cost reduction after implementation of AWS for the Alteryx Server platform.
The implementation of Alteryx Server on AWS made MyWhoosh confident in the security of its data, and its accreditation team is enthusiastic about the monitoring and auditing capabilities provided by AWS tools. With the implementation of IAM roles, MyWhoosh IT team was able to isolate systems and tightly control user accesses. These capabilities were harder to achieve within the existing infra but were available out of the box with AWS
By adopting AWS to host the Alteryx Server platform, MyWhoosh has been able to innovate and experiment to a degree previously impossible. For example, MyWhoosh compared the performance and cost-effectiveness of three different cloud solutions. Without moving to the AWS, the costs associated with running an outdated on-premise hardware would have creeped up and the alternative way of upgrading the existing on-prem infrastructure to the latest hardware models and then hosting the Alteryx Server application on top of it would have taken months.

A DEEP DIVE INTO TABLEAU 2019.3

TABLEAU CATALOG What could be better than a feature that could provide better visibility and better data management at the same time, and also ensure that the right data is always used for analysis. This is possible with the new feature -Tableau Catalog.

This feature provides a complete picture of the data and how each data is connected. Another use of Tableau Catalog is linear and impact analysis. This not only shows which assets will change but also who will be affected by it, which makes work easier for many and avoids wastage of time. EXPLAIN DATA Tableau 2019.3 is up with a new Al-driven feature called the “Explain Data”, which helps people go from the “what” of the data to the “how” of it. With explain data, we can get an explanation for each unexpected value in the data by just a single click. On selecting the desired data point, the ‘explain data’(lightbulb) icon appears. For each value there might be a number of explanations. Each of these explanations are checked and only the most likely ones are provided as visualizations.

Now these visualizations can be used for further explorations. TABLEAU SERVER MANAGEMENT ADD-ON Organizations that run critical deployment of Tableau Server at a large scale, have mentioned concerns over manageability and scalability. They have been in search for tools that could organize the management process in an efficient way, which could save a lot of time. Tableau solved this problem by introducing the Tableau Server Management Add-on – a new feature designed to help organizations manage the deployment of Tableau Server. With this, they can quickly react to the changing needs of the business as well as save time by organizing the management process in the most efficient way. Tableau Server Management Add-on, which makes running the critical deployment of tableau at a large-scale server much simpler.

The server management add-on feature can help in optimising the performance of deployment by customizing which nodes process background jobs such as extract refreshes and subscriptions and isolating these workloads, to specific nodes. This makes it easier to scale deployments to the needs of their organization. This feature has a few tools, including two for better reliability and scalability and one for content migration, all of which helps the organizations to govern their data effectively. If you are interested in learning more about the latest Tableau release and use cases, please contact us at training@beinex.com/ info@beinex.com and we would be happy to schedule a Tableau demo or training for you and your company.

Note: The Server Management Add-on is not available for Tableau Online, as they manage everything from scaling, performance, and security on behalf of their Tableau Online customers. The Tableau Server Management Add-on can be separately purchased from the Tableau Server deployment.

BEINEX CONSULTING WINS ALTERYX 2020 PARTNER OF YEAR AWARDS, MIDDLE EAST

Beinex Consulting has been awarded as the Alteryx 2020 Partner of the Year, Middle East at the Alteryx Partner Summit and Awards virtual event along with 15 other winners from North America, LATAM, and EMEA.

During the Alteryx Summit, ‘Your Road to Revenue’, Alteryx celebrated the achievements and commitment of their partners to the Alteryx business and its customers. Beinex Consulting was awarded on the level of engagement in the Alteryx partner program and its efforts around driving innovation, growing revenue, and empowering Alteryx customers to solve our world’s most pressing business and societal issues in the Middle East Region. Selected among top Middle East Alteryx partners, Beinex demonstrated excellence in delivering end-to-end analytics transformation services that revolutionised multiple industries in the Middle East. Beinex Consulting Founder and Managing Director, Indumon Das indicates further growth for the digital transformation organisation soon: “Beinex continues to make strategic investments to enhance our association with Alteryx and clients in major Middle East markets. This award is a recognition to our continuous growth strategy and focus to be the best Middle East partner” “Through their ongoing pledge to the Alteryx Partner Program, our partners have demonstrated their commitment to helping Alteryx customers break down barriers and deliver game-changing insights.” – Josh Lewis, VP, Global Channels, Alteryx About Beinex Consulting Beinex is a digital transformation organization with a broad range of analytics modernization and training services. As a pioneer in analytics and cloud transformation, Beinex’s mission is to transform the way individuals and the organizations work with the data through innovation and experience. Beinex offers a broad range of robust and scalable business intelligence and analytics services to drive effective decision-making and create business value.

We are thrilled to recognize Beinex Consulting for being named Alteryx Middle East Partner of the Year!https://t.co/xwmp7HbsMp #TogetherWeSolve pic.twitter.com/4zic9mdlgD
— Alteryx (@alteryx) October 1, 2020