Exploring the Tableau data model

You'll find the data model as a new feature in Tableau 2020.2 and later. Every data source will use the data model. Data sources created in previous versions will be updated to the data model but will be contained in a single object, so, functionally, they will work in the same way as the previous version.

Previous versions of Tableau allow you to leverage joining tables and blending data sources together, and we'll consider those options at the end of this chapter. For now, we'll look at creating a data model and understanding the paradigm.

Creating a data model

We've briefly looked at the Data Source screen in Chapter 2, Connecting to Data in Tableau. Now, we'll take a deeper look at the concepts behind the interface. Feel free to follow along with the following example in the Chapter 13 Starter.twb workbook, or examine the end results in Chapter 13 Complete.twbx.

We'll start by creating a connection...