• 06 May 2025

Essential Guide to Documenting Tableau Dashboards

Well-documented dashboards save time, reduce confusion, and increase adoption.

A concise guide to effectively document Tableau dashboards using best practices and built-in features.

Why Document Your Tableau Dashboards?

Documentation enhances the value of dashboards by facilitating easier maintenance, promoting knowledge transfer, and enabling users to understand your visualizations better. A small investment in documentation now prevents headaches later.

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In-Dashboard Documentation Techniques

1. Document Fields and Calculations

For dimensions and measures:

  • Right-click any field → Select "Description..."
  • Add clear explanations of what the field represents, its units, and the data source
  • Example: Revenue (USD): Product revenue excluding taxes. Updated daily from ERP.

For calculated fields:

  • Add comments using // syntax at the top of formulas
  • Include purpose, logic explanation, and modification dates
  • Example:
    // Profit Margin (%) - Shows revenue-to-profit ratio
    // Modified: 2025-03-15 by JD
    IF [Revenue] > 0 THEN [Profit]/[Revenue] ELSE 0 END

2. Organize Fields into Folders

  • In Data pane: dropdown menu → "Group by Folder"
  • Create logical folders (KPIs, Geography, Time, etc.)
  • Drag related fields into the appropriate folders
  • This provides visual organization and improves findability

3. Add Sheet Descriptions

  • Right-click worksheet tab → "Color" → Choose appropriate color
  • Use consistent color coding (e.g., blue for KPIs, green for details)
  • This creates a visual grouping of related content

5. Use Dashboard Help Features

  • Add tooltips with explanatory text
  • Include captions on visualizations
  • Create a dashboard "About" section with key information

External Documentation Best Practices

Create an Information Sheet

Include a dedicated INFO worksheet containing:

  • Dashboard purpose and objectives
  • Data sources and refresh frequency
  • Contact information
  • Version history with change notes

Establish Naming Conventions

Use consistent, descriptive naming patterns:

  • Workbooks: [Department]_[Purpose]_[Frequency]
  • Sheets: [Chart type]_[Metric]_[Filter]
  • Calculated Fields: [Metric]_[Calculation Type]

Maintain Version Control

  • Include version numbers in workbook names
  • Document changes with dates and descriptions
  • Archive previous versions instead of overwriting
  • Use Tableau Server's revision history when available

Document for Different Audiences

  • For analysts: Include methodology and calculation details
  • For end users: Focus on interpretation and interaction guidance
  • For administrators: Document connections and refresh schedules

Documentation Workflow

1. During development:

  • Document fields and calculations as you create them
  • Organize into logical folders

2. Before deployment:

  • Add sheet descriptions
  • Create an INFO worksheet
  • Color code related sheets

3. After deployment:

  • Update documentation with each enhancement
  • Review documentation quarterly
  • Archive documentation with obsolete dashboards
Conclusion

Consistent documentation is not an afterthought—it's an essential component of effective dashboard development. These practices will help ensure that your Tableau dashboards remain valuable, understandable, and maintainable long after they are created.

DataTerrain, with years of experience and a team of reliable experts, is ready to assist. We have served over 300 customers in the US. We are flexible with our working hours and do not require long-term, binding contracts.