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Connecting to Excel Files in Tableau

by suresh

This chapter shows how to connect Tableau to Microsoft Excel Files. Furthermore, how to use the excel sheets as Tableau Data Source with an example.

Steps involved in Connecting to Excel Files in Tableau

Before we start, let us see the data present in the Excel file. If we see the below screenshot, it is just a regular .xlsx file holding two sheets or two tables.

Below screenshot will show the Data present in Customers sheet

Connecting to Excel Files in Tableau 1

Below screenshot shows the Data present in Department sheet

Connecting to Excel Files in Tableau 2

Next, Double click on the Tableau desktop to open. Once it is open, it looks like below screenshot

First, Under the Connect section, Please select the Excel Option to connect Tableau to Excel files

Connecting to Excel Files in Tableau 3

Once the Excel Option is selected, a new window will open to select the Excel file from our file system. For now, we are selecting the CustomersAndDept.xlsx file as shown below

Connecting to Excel Files in Tableau 4

Once we complete, the below screenshot will appear. Please understand the following option before start creating a report

  1. Workbook: Excel File we selected from our file system.
  2. Sheets: This section displays the Sheets or Tables present in the Excel source. We have two tables, so it is displaying those two sheets (Customers and Department). We have the search bar under this section, and it is handy for a large number of sheets. For instance, If we have 30 or 40 sheets, use this to search for a specific table
  3. Drag Sheets Here: We have to Drag Table(s) from Sheets to this Section. Tableau will only use the tables present in this area. It is something like Dataset.
  4. This region shows the data present in our Dataset

NOTE: CustomersAndDept is the default data source name (Excel Filename) assigned by the Tableau. Please change this default name to a more meaningful unique name

Connecting Tableau to Excel Files 1

We can add the sheets to Region 3 in Multiple Ways. As the name suggests, either we can Drag the Customers Table from Sheets region to 3rd region or else double-click on the required table will automatically add

TIP: Tableau allows us to add multiple tables using Joins

Connecting Tableau to Excel Files 2

Once we dragged the Customers sheet, the Preview region will display the data present in that sheet.

If you observe the below screenshot, there is a message showing Data Interpreter is On

Data Interpreter: If Tableau discovers the format of any column data in our selected sheet is difficult to analyze, Tableau will pop up a message asking us to Turn On Data Interpreter. By turning Data Interpreter on, we can normalize the data

Connecting Tableau to Excel Files 3

Once we finished, click on the Sheet 1 tab to design the report.

  1. Data: This will display the list of currently connected data Sources. We have only “One” at this time; otherwise, it displays all the data sources available.
  2. Dimensions: Columns with string data will place under the Dimensions section
  3. Measures: Columns with Numeric data or Metric values will place under the Measures section
  4. It is the area where we design our Tableau reports by dragging Measures and Dimensions
Connecting Tableau to Excel Files 4

From the above screenshot, we are only seeing the data present in Customers table though we have Customers and Department tables in our Excel file. If we want to add a Department table, Click the back button on Top and Join the Department table with the Customer table.

Placed Under: Tableau

  • Download and Install Tableau
  • Tableau Start Page
  • Tableau Show Me
  • Connect to MS Analysis Services
  • Connecting Tableau to SQL
  • Tableau Connect to Text File
  • Tableau Connect to Excel File
  • Hierarchies in Tableau
  • Tableau Bins
  • Tableau Parameters
  • Combined Tableau Sets
  • Tableau Set
  • How to Edit Tableau Group
  • Tableau Group
  • Tableau Grouping
  • Tableau First Report
  • Data Labels in Tableau Reports
  • Format Tableau Chart Title
  • Create Folders in Tableau
  • Tableau Sort
  • Add Totals in Tableau
  • How to Join Data in Tableau
  • Tableau Data Blending
  • Tableau Table Report
  • Tableau Crosstab Report
  • Tableau Annotations
  • Tableau Charts
  • Tableau Area Chart
  • Tableau Bar chart
  • Tableau Box Plot
  • Tableau Bubble Chart
  • Tableau Bullet Graph
  • Tableau Bump Chart
  • Tableau Circle Views
  • Tableau Dual Combination Chart
  • Tableau Dual Lines Chart
  • Tableau Funnel Chart
  • Tableau Traditional Funnel Chart
  • Tableau Gantt Chart
  • Tableau Grouped Bar Chart
  • Tableau Heat Map
  • Tableau Highlight Table
  • Tableau Histogram
  • Tableau Cumulative Histogram
  • Tableau Line Chart
  • Tableau Lollipop Chart
  • Tableau Pareto Chart
  • Tableau Pie Chart
  • Tableau Scatter Plot
  • Tableau Stacked Bar Chart
  • Tableau Text Label
  • Tableau Treemap
  • Tableau Word Cloud
  • Tableau Waterfall Chart
  • Tableau Individual Axis
  • Tableau Dual Axis
  • Tableau Blended Axis
  • Tableau Add Reference Lines
  • Tableau Add Reference Bands
  • Add Reference Distributions
  • Tableau Maps
  • How to Create a Map in Tableau
  • Use Google Maps in Tableau
  • Mapbox Maps as a Background
  • WMS Server Map as Background
  • Create a Tableau Dashboard
  • Format Dashboard Layout
  • Create Dashboard Device Prev
  • Tableau Dashboard Objects
  • Create a Tableau Story
  • Tableau Filters
  • Tableau Filters on Dimensions
  • Tableau Filters on Measures
  • Tableau Extract Filters
  • Tableau Dashboard Filters
  • Tableau Data Source Filters
  • Tableau Slicing Filters
  • Tableau Quick Filters
  • Tableau Context Filters
  • Tableau Top Filters
  • Tableau Table Calculations
  • Tableau Calculated Fields
  • Tableau Running Total
  • Tableau Rank Calculation Basic
  • Tableau Rank advanced calculate
  • Tableau Aggregate Functions
  • Tableau Conversion Functions
  • Tableau Case Function
  • Tableau Date Functions
  • Tableau If Function
  • Tableau Logical Functions
  • Tableau Math Functions
  • Tableau String Functions
  • Tableau Table Functions

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