4.4 Stories, Exporting & Publishing
Key Takeaways
- A Tableau Story is a sequence of Story Points containing worksheets or dashboards configured to communicate a step-by-step data narrative.
- Each Story Point captures and preserves an independent snapshot of filters, marks, and annotations without altering the original underlying source worksheets.
- Workbooks published to Tableau Server or Cloud with Live Connections query the data source in real time, whereas Extract Connections run on scheduled refresh background jobs.
- Tableau workbooks saved in packaged format (.twbx) bundle the XML workbook definition along with local data files, custom images, and geocoding into a single compressed file.
- Exporting a dashboard via File > Export as PowerPoint creates static slide images containing direct links back to the published workbook on Tableau Server/Cloud.
4.4 Stories, Exporting & Publishing
The final phase of analytical workflow in Tableau involves presenting findings through guided data narratives (Stories), exporting content into static formats, and publishing workbooks for organizational collaboration. Mastering story points, file formats (.twb vs. .twbx), export methods, and server publishing options is required for the Tableau Desktop Specialist exam.
Creating and Managing Tableau Stories
A Story is a sheet containing a sequence of interactive views or dashboards structured to walk users through a step-by-step narrative.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [ 1. Overview ] [ 2. West Region Drop ] [ 3. Action Plan ] | <-- Story Navigator Captions
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| [ Active Story Point Canvas: Embedded Dashboard / Worksheet ] |
| - Specific Filter States Captured |
| - Point Annotations Applied |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Key Story Point Characteristics
- Story Points: Individual steps within a story are called Story Points. Each point can contain a single worksheet or an entire dashboard.
- State Preservation: When an author updates filters, selects marks, or adds text annotations on a story point, Tableau saves that specific visual state only for that story point. Changing filters on Story Point 2 does not alter Story Point 1 or modify the underlying source worksheet.
- Updating Story Points: If an author alters the layout or structure of a source worksheet, those structural changes flow into the story point. However, to save new filter or selection states back to a story point, the author must click Update in the Story toolbar.
Story Navigator Styles
The Story pane offers four distinct navigator presentation styles:
- Caption Boxes: Displays descriptive text boxes for each story point (default).
- Numbers: Replaces text captions with compact numbered buttons (1, 2, 3...).
- Dots: Displays small clickable dots for seamless slide-style transitions.
- Arrows Only: Removes navigator boxes entirely, providing simple Previous/Next arrow navigation.
File Types: .twb vs. .twbx
Understanding Tableau file extensions is a critical exam topic. The two primary workbook formats differ in how they manage underlying data and external assets:
| File Extension | Format Name | Included Contents | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
.twb | Tableau Workbook | Contains XML metadata, layout instructions, worksheet definitions, and data connection strings. Does NOT contain data. | Sharing workbooks when all users have direct access to central databases or network file paths. |
.twbx | Tableau Packaged Workbook | Single Zip-compressed file containing the .twb file PLUS local data files (.hyper, Excel, Access, CSV), custom background images, and custom shape files. | Sharing complete self-contained workbooks with offline users or Tableau Reader users. |
Other Key File Types
.hyper: Tableau's high-performance in-memory data extract format..tds/.tdsx: Tableau Data Source files containing connection metadata, calculated fields, defaults, and aliases without or with local extract data.
Exporting Options and Static Distribution
Tableau provides several methods for exporting workbooks and views for offline presentation:
Image and PDF Export
- Export Image (
Worksheet > Export > Image): Saves the active view as a.png,.jpeg, or.bmpfile. - Export PDF (
File > Print to PDF): Generates a vector PDF document. Authors can choose to print the active sheet, selected sheets, or the entire workbook, specifying page orientation and paper size.
Export to PowerPoint
Selecting File > Export as PowerPoint converts dashboard tabs and story points into static slides within a .pptx presentation file. Each slide includes a high-resolution screenshot and a live hyperlink referencing the published workbook location on Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud.
Data and Crosstab Export
- Export Data (
Worksheet > Export > Data): Exports raw underlying data to an Access database or CSV file. - Export Crosstab to Excel (
Worksheet > Export > Crosstab to Excel): Instantly outputs the aggregated numbers of a text table directly into a native Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
Publishing to Tableau Server, Tableau Cloud, and Tableau Public
Publishing shares interactive workbooks across an organization or with the public via web browsers and mobile devices.
Publishing Steps (Server > Publish Workbook)
- Select Destination: Sign in to Tableau Server, Tableau Cloud (fully hosted SaaS), or Tableau Public (free public showcase).
- Configure Sheets & Permissions: Specify which dashboards, worksheets, or story points will be visible to end users, and set user access permissions (View, Interact, Download, Edit).
- Manage Data Credentials:
- Live Connections: Authors can choose to Embed credentials (allowing automatic background queries) or Prompt user (requiring end users to input database logins).
- Extract Connections: When publishing an extract, authors configure Refresh Schedules on Tableau Server/Cloud to update the
.hyperfile automatically at specified intervals (e.g., daily at midnight).
An analyst wants to send a Tableau workbook file to a colleague who does not have access to the corporate network database. Which file format bundles the workbook layout along with local extract data into a single file?
What happens to a specific Story Point when an author changes a filter setting on that story point and clicks the "Update" button in the Story toolbar?
When publishing a workbook with an Extract data connection to Tableau Server, how is the extracted data kept up to date?