08 July 2025

What Is Tableau Prep Conductor and How It Supports Automated Data Prep

Using Tableau Prep Conductor for Reliable Flow Scheduling and Data Preparation

Tableau Prep Conductor is a server-based extension of Tableau Prep that enables organizations to schedule, run, and centrally monitor data preparation flows. Designed for scalability and reliability, it ensures that data sources remain current and accessible for reporting and analytics use cases across business functions.

Organizations that require consistent, repeatable data prep workflows can benefit from Tableau Prep Conductor's automation features, particularly when deployed in Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud environments.

Tableau Prep Conductor automates and schedules data flows for accurate, governed business insights.

Filling Gaps in Sequential Data with the New Rows Feature

When working with time series or numeric data, gaps in a sequence can affect reporting accuracy and trend analysis. Tableau Prep Conductor introduces the New Rows step to address this issue by allowing users to automatically generate rows for missing values in a numeric or date field.

Users can configure the feature to fill gaps based on a single field or a range of date fields, define start and end points, and apply default values such as zero, Null, or prior values. The generated rows can either replace the original field or be added as a new column to preserve the initial dataset.

Running Dependent Flows Using Linked Tasks

Tableau Prep Conductor also includes Linked Tasks, a feature that enables administrators to schedule multiple flows to run in a defined sequence. This is useful when the output of one flow is required as input for another.

With support for up to 20 linked flows, users can configure task dependencies, set conditions for proceeding or stopping based on success or failure, and receive notifications if any task in the sequence fails. This capability is critical in ETL workflows that involve multiple stages of data processing.

Use Case : After importing and cleaning raw sales data, a second flow can segment the data for regional reporting only after the first process completes successfully.

Operational Benefits of Tableau Prep Conductor

Organizations using Tableau Prep Conductor can expect the following operational advantages:

Centralized Management : Admins can schedule, monitor, and control all data preparation flows from a single interface.
Workflow Dependencies : Enables sequencing of interdependent flows to ensure data integrity.
Error Handling : Alerts and conditions can be configured to proactively manage flow failures.
Access Control : Inherits Tableau's role-based permissions for data governance.
Reduced Manual Workload : Frees up analysts from repetitive tasks tied to data cleanup and transformation.

DataTerrain's Experience With Tableau Prep Conductor

With over 300 U.S.-based customers across industries, DataTerrain has supported numerous Tableau Server and Prep Conductor implementations. Our team configures automated flow scheduling, assists with HR reporting automation, and supports migration from legacy ETL systems.

We help clients address BI governance, performance monitoring, and HR cloud migration initiatives using Tableau Prep solutions tailored to their business requirements.

Tableau Prep Conductor provides a stable environment for automating and scheduling data preparation tasks. Its features, including the New Rows step and Linked Tasks, are beneficial for organizations seeking consistent data readiness without manual intervention.

For more information on setting up or managing Tableau Prep Conductor, contact DataTerrain to discuss implementation support and automation services tailored to your business needs.