Tableau 2020.3 Touts External Write to Database and Enhanced Data Prep

Source: Tableau Software

Tableau Software has announced the release of Tableau 2020.3, the latest version of its flagship business intelligence and data analytics platform. The new version is highlighted by the ability for users to output and update external databases directly from Tableau Prep Builder. There are also new tools for Tableau administrators to simplify the distribution of product licenses. The release comes on the heels of Tableau’s May 2020.2 version, which saw the addition of a new data model and metrics for KPI monitoring.

One of four major players in enterprise BI and analytics, Tableau offers an expansive visual platform. Its analytic software portfolio is available through three main channels: Tableau Desktop, Tableau Server, and Tableau Online. Tableau connects to hundreds of data sources and is available on-prem or in the cloud. The vendor also offers embedded analytics capabilities, and users can visualize and share data with Tableau Public.

Customers are now able to make their data preparation process more governed and scalable, as well as more deeply integrated with the rest of the IT infrastructure via the new Write to Database feature in Tableau Prep. The tool utilizes a drag-and-drop, visual experience that makes it simple for anyone to publish a data flow to their database without coding or third-party tools. New administrator capabilities also provide enhanced mobile device management. There are updated mobile apps for iOS, Blackberry, and Android as well.

Doing complex analysis, like predictions or spatial joins, is now easier for Tableau users to do. New predictive modeling functions are built into the table calculation process so customers can build and update the models without leaving the platform. A new “IN” operator for calculations further simplifies the task of comparing a large list of values, testing if a specified value is present within a set, comma-separated list, or combined fields. Users can also more easily analyze spatial data with the new spatial file union.

Tableau 2020.3 also broadens the connectivity of the Tableau platform through the introduction of Connectors to the Tableau Extension Gallery, a new collection of partner-built integrations that let customers access data sources in addition to those natively supported by Tableau. In addition to the third-party connectors in the gallery, 2020.3 also adds an improved native connector to SAP HANA that includes the ability to connect to HANA Table Functions.

In a statement about the news, Tableau Chief Product Officer Francois Ajenstat said: “The new capabilities in Tableau 2020.3 continue to extend the breadth and depth of the entire Tableau platform, helping customers to easily scale their analytics further than ever before. By introducing the ability to write to an external database, Tableau Prep can now be used for analytics use cases outside of the Tableau platform, from data science to data governance.”

Learn more about the new features included in Tableau 2020.3.