This resource provides a structured overview of key Tableau concepts and common interview questions. It is designed to help learners and job seekers quickly find and review specific topics.
The content is divided into two main sections:
Categorized Interview Questions: A comprehensive list of technical questions, organized by topic for efficient study.
Essential Tableau Terminology: Definitions for common terms and concepts used in the Tableau workspace and community.
File Types & Structure
Term
Definition
Workbook
The entire Tableau file (.twb or .twbx) containing all your sheets, dashboards, and stories.
Sheet
A singular chart, graph, or map in Tableau (also called a worksheet).
Dashboard
A canvas for displaying multiple sheets and objects at once, allowing them to interact.
Story
A sequence of sheets or dashboards that work together to convey a narrative.
.twb
(Tableau Workbook). An XML file that contains the workbook definition but not the underlying data.
.twbx
(Tableau Packaged Workbook). A zipped file containing the .twb file, any local data, and other external assets.
Data Types & Fields
Term
Definition
Dimension
A categorical field used to segment, filter, or organize data. Examples: Category, Region, Date, Name.
Measure
A quantitative, numerical field that can be aggregated (e.g., SUM, AVG). Examples: Sales, Profit, Quantity.
Discrete
Data that represents distinct, separate values (blue pills). Shown as headers with colored backgrounds.
Continuous
Data that represents an unbroken range of values (green pills). Shown as axes.
Calculated Field
A new field created by defining a formula based on existing fields, parameters, or other calculated fields.
Parameter
A dynamic, global value that allows users to interactively replace a constant value in a calculation, filter, or reference line.
Sets
A custom field defined by conditions or manual selection to create a subset of data. Can be dynamic or static.
Groups
A way to combine several dimension members into a single, higher-level category.
Bins
A new dimension created by grouping a measure (or date) into equal-sized intervals.
Workspace & Interface
Term
Definition
Data Pane
The left-hand panel that shows all connected data sources, including their fields (Dimensions and Measures).
Rows & Columns Shelves
Determine the structure of the view. Rows create the Y-axis, Columns create the X-axis.
Marks Card
The panel that controls the visual properties of marks (data points). Contains shelves for Color, Size, Label, Detail, Tooltip, and Shape.
Pages Shelf
Allows you to break a view into a series of pages to analyze how a specific field affects the rest of the data.
Filters Shelf
Where you place fields to limit what data is displayed in the view.
Analytics Pane
The panel used to add reference lines, trend lines, forecasts, and other statistical models to a view.
Show Me
A panel that suggests appropriate chart types based on the fields selected in the view.
Format Pane
The panel used to customize the appearance of almost every element in a view.
Filters & Interactivity
Term
Definition
Filter
Used to limit what data is displayed on a sheet.
Quick Filter
An interactive filter control displayed on a worksheet or dashboard for end-users.
Context Filter
A filter that creates a temporary “sub-set” of the data, which all other filters then operate on.
Tooltip
The text box that appears when hovering over a mark, providing additional details.
Data Connections & Performance
Term
Definition
Data Blending
A method for combining data from multiple data sources on a single sheet.
Data Extract (.hyper)
A snapshot of data saved to disk for improved performance.
Live Connection
A direct, real-time connection to the underlying database.
Published Data Source
A data source connection that has been published to Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud for centralized management.
Advanced Calculations
Term
Definition
LOD Expression
(Level of Detail Expression). A calculation that allows you to compute values at a specified level of detail.
Table Calculation
A computation that is performed on the local data in the Tableau view.
Visual Analytics
Term
Definition
Dual Axis
Two independent measures sharing the same pane, allowing for different mark types and scales.
Marks
The visual representations of your data (bars, lines, circles, shapes, etc.).
Shelves
The areas in the workspace where you drag fields to build visualizations.
