Design and Troubleshoot Calculations and Workbooks40% of the exam
Reducing query load from filters and sheets
Find the filters and sheet designs that multiply queries, then cut them: filter actions instead of Only Relevant Values cards, summary fields and ranges instead of long item lists, extract and data source filters instead of context filters, one level of detail for query batching, Show Apply Button, narrow filter scope and paused updates while authoring.
Identify and resolve resource-intensive queries.
~8 min read · 6 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Recognize the filter settings that send extra queries (Only Relevant Values, long Keep Only or Exclude lists, filters shared across many worksheets, cross-database filters) and recommend the lighter design.
- Explain why context filters are an order-of-operations tool, not a query accelerator, and recommend extract and data source filters to limit data instead.
- Recommend a shared level of detail across dashboard sheets so Tableau can batch queries, and fewer sheets and filter cards overall.
- Use Show Apply Button, worksheet scope and paused automatic updates to stop a query after every click.
Key terms:
- Only Relevant Values: a filter card option that shows only values passing the other filters, which needs a query whenever those filters change.
- Context filter: an independent filter computed first; other filters become dependent filters that process only data passing it.
- Query batching: Tableau combining queries from sheets built at the same level of detail.
- Show Apply Button: a filter card option that applies changes only when the user clicks Apply.
Key facts
Filter card cost
- Detail
- Each interactive filter needs a query to populate its options
Only Relevant Values
- Detail
- Creates a query each time the other filters change
Context filters today
- Detail
- Force an order of operations; no longer help query performance
Many context filters
- Detail
- One context filter that greatly reduces data beats many
Context and referential integrity
- Detail
- Context filters can hurt Assume Referential Integrity gains
Query batching
- Detail
- Same level of detail on multiple dashboard sheets
Show Apply Button
- Detail
- Multiple values lists and dropdowns only; available in web authoring
New filter scope
- Detail
- Current worksheet only, by default
Publishing
- Detail
- Does not improve performance; tune in Desktop first
Sources for this section (5)
- Make Visualizations Fasterhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Performance Checklisthelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Use Context Filtershelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Filter Data from Your Viewshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Apply Filters to Multiple Worksheetshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why can a dashboard with many filter cards render slowly even before anyone clicks?
- When does changing a data model setting force a context filter to recompute?
- When a filter is set to All Using This Data Source, which new worksheets receive it?
- Why does zooming into a dense view not reduce the marks Tableau must handle?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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