What is Elements for Tableau?

Elements for Tableau is a collaboration tool offering a comprehensive solution for the limitations of Tableau Dashboards. Given that Tableau currently only offers read-only dashboards, further developing visualizations becomes time consuming. This can also be attributed to the lack of explanation and clarity around edits and data points.  

 

This software provides a user-friendly platform incorporating several functionalities that allow for effective internal communication between Analysts and Dashboard consumers and changing data points straight from the dashboard.  

 

Elements for Tableau is a great tool for organizations that are looking for a convenient platform that offers fast and effective communication tools as well as data modification tools all in one place.  

The software requires Tableau 2019.2 and above and works on both Tableau Server and Tableau Desktop.

 

Common real-life problems the software can tackle 

 

  • Change the properties of a data point in a diagram straight from the Dashboard 
  • Comment on individual data points. Comments are displayed in the tooltip of the data point. With the right permissions users can write and reply to comments as well 
  • Turn Tableau into a spreadsheet app. Extend your data tables with extra columns that are editable straight from the dashboard 
  • Create annotations to display custom information. Annotations can be scoped to an entire sheet too 

 

The concept

The software is designed to create and manage Annotations that belong to certain data in the Tableau Dashboard. These annotations are stored in a separate (live) datasource that is blended together with the original Tableau data, thus allowing it to be displayed on the Dashboard.

The software provides a form that certain users need to fill out for each annotation annotation. This allows multiple data field inputs for a single point, for example a replacement value, a comment, and a dropdown. The form is fully configurable for each sheet in the dashboard (or can be shared across multiple sheets and workbooks).

The annotations can optionally be configured to be specific to selected Tableau filters and parameters, so a data point can have multiple annotations based on the filter change.

  1. Enterprise capabilities

The software designed to integrate an enterprise environment with features that satisfy hosting, security, authentication & access management, audit and notification requirements.

Features include:

  • Enterprise class authentication & authorization, with integration into the corporate identity provider (AD, SAML, OAuth). Different levels of access for resources are given using corporate users & groups.
  • Multi-tenancy. Multiple teams can use the application in an organization, completely independent of each other. Each team can have their own access control, store annotations in their own databases. They have full control over their workspace, but cannot interact with any resources of other teams.
  • Approval process can be defined to validate annotations before they go online with specific approver users/groups. Multiple approvals may also be required
  • Full audit trail of every action done by any user in the application. This includes creating annotations, approvals, any resource modification, startup, shutdown, etc.
  • Support for multiple notification channels: The app is capable to send out notifications not just in email, but Slack and Microsoft Teams as well. Custom notification channels can also be implemented upon request.
  • Self-hosted documentation: The app contains its own documentation. This includes both static documentation about the software and dynamic guides which guide the user through a specific process.