Connecting to data
Tableau connects to data stored in a wide variety of files and databases. This includes flat files, such as Excel documents, spatial files, and text files; relational databases, such as SQL Server and Oracle; cloud-based data sources, such as Snowflake and Amazon Redshift; and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) data sources, such as Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services. With very few exceptions, the process of analysis and creating visualizations will be the same, no matter what data source you use.
We'll cover data connections and related topics more extensively throughout the book. For example, we'll cover the following:
- Connecting to a wide variety of different types of data sources in Chapter 2, Connecting to Data in Tableau.
- Using joins, blends, and object model connections in Chapter 13, Understanding the Tableau Data Models, Joins, and Blends.
- Understanding the data structures that work well and how to deal with...
