Design and Troubleshoot Calculations and Workbooks40% of the exam
Sankey, chord, radar, tile maps and densification
Match an advanced chart to the question it answers (flows, pairwise interactions, multi-variable profiles, equal-weight geography, many small trends), know when a simpler chart wins, deploy Viz Extensions on Tableau 2024.2 and later, and densify a view so calculations work on generated marks.
Recommend when to use an advanced chart type, such as Sankey, chord, radar, tile map, small multiples, and data densification.
~8 min read · 9 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Recommend a Sankey, chord or radar chart from the shape of the question (transitions between states, interactions between pairs of entities, a profile across several measures), and recognize when a simpler chart serves the data or audience better.
- Recommend a tile grid map for equal-weight geography and small multiples for many side-by-side trends.
- Explain how Viz Extensions (Tableau 2024.2 and later) are added, encoded and allowed to run on Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud.
- Use data densification (Show Missing Values plus Infer Properties from Missing Values) so calculations return values on generated marks.
Key terms:
- Viz Extension: a web application added from the Marks card that renders a custom chart type on a worksheet.
- Level and Link: the Sankey extension's own encodings for the categories it relates and the measure that sizes each flow.
- Tile grid map: a map drawn as a grid of identical tiles, one per geographic unit.
- Small multiples: any view that is a grid of individual charts, one per pane.
- Data densification: marks generated by Tableau that no underlying record supports.
Key facts
Viz Extensions release
- Detail
- Available since Tableau 2024.2, from the Marks card
Sankey Level encoding
- Detail
- Up to 5 discrete dimensions
Sankey Link encoding
- Detail
- Sizes each link's width from a numeric measure
Network-enabled extensions
- Detail
- Blocked until on the site safe list
Published extension data access
- Detail
- Workbook or view must allow Download Summary Data
2023 Tableau Public pilot
- Detail
- Ended June 30, 2023; its charts were removed
Infer Properties from Missing Values
- Detail
- Off by default; requires Show Missing Values
Show Missing Values
- Detail
- Only for a defined domain such as dates or numeric bins
Sources for this section (6)
- Your Guide to Viz Extensionswww.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Add Viz Extensionshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Manage Dashboard and Viz Extensionshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Exploring Sankey and Radial Chartswww.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Generated Markshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Show or Hide Missing Valueshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why can't Show Missing Values fill the gaps in a field that lists colors?
- When would a 100% stacked bar beat a sunburst?
- Does ZN add zero rows for months that have no records at all?
- How does a Viz Extension differ from a dashboard extension in where it is added?
- Which extensions run on a site without a safe-list entry once extensions are enabled?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
Keep reading with the Tableau Consultant pack
- Core concepts
- Exam traps
- Worked scenario
The pack includes:
- All 38 lessons of the Tableau Consultant guide, with reading progress
- Interactive decision walks and step-by-step sequence steppers
- Practice exams purchase adds inline bank questions and topic practice (9 questions for this lesson)
- An official source cited for every claim
- An AI tutor that answers from the guide
- Choose guide-only, practice-only, or save $4 with both