Tableau Software - versions to suit varying requirements

Tableau is for decision makers at all levels, and needs little, if any, technical expertise. When integrated with your CRM, Accounts, or Business Management Solution, Tableau is ideal for people in sales, marketing, accounts, finance, purchasing, manufacturing, customer service, HR, managers, board members, CEOs - anyone who uses data to make decisions!

Because Tableau is used by so many different people, there are two main versions of the product available to suit varying requirements: Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server.

There's also Tableau Reader, which is free - so anyone can look at data visualisation, analysis and business intelligence information generated by Tableau. Tableau Reader opens any Tableau packaged workbook in a simplified format designed for sharing.

Tableau Desktop

Tableau desktop is a stand-alone application for fast analytics and visualization of nearly any kind of data in data files.

Tableau desktop is available as:

  • Tableau Desktop Personal
  • Tableau Desktop Professional

Tableau Desktop Personal opens data from Excel, Access and text files. It cannot, however, publish to Tableau Server.

Tableau Desktop Professional opens data from all sources: Excel, Access, text files, SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Firebird, Netezza, SQL Server Analysis Services, Hyperion Essbase. Any of the data visualizations created with Tableau Desktop Professional can be published to Tableau Server where they become live, interactive analytic views against live, secure data.

Tableau Server

Tableau Server lets you share visual analytics with anyone with a web browser. This means you can publish interactive analytics or dashboards, or embed Tableau views in other web applications, providing a secure library for sharing Tableau content. Any of the data visualizations created with Tableau Desktop Professional can be published to Tableau Server where they become live, interactive analytic views of live, secure data.

Tableau Server delivers live, real-time data, automating the creation of constantly updateable charts without batching or scripting.

There are two further products which complement Tableau Server:

  • Web Interactor
  • Web Viewer

Web Interactor allows you to login to Tableau Server and interact with data. It enables you to open and view data visualizations on the server, drill into data, or follow guided analysis paths. It also allows you to export data or graphics into other applications, and comment on and add tags to views.

Web Viewer allows you to login to the Server and view data, open and view data visualizations on the server, comment on and add tags to views and export graphics into other applications.