Tableau Desktop Specialist

Exam Guide

Tableau Desktop Specialist 1

Awarded Credentials
Upon successful completion of this exam, you will be awarded the title of Tableau Desktop Specialist.
This title does not expire.

Target Audience
This exam is for those who have foundational skills and understanding of Tableau Desktop and at least
three months of applying this understanding in the product.

There are no required prerequisites for this exam. Everyone learns differently and everyday use of
Tableau varies. Recommendations for learning resources and experience with the product are guidelines,
not requirements.

Exam Guide Disclosure

This document provides information on the structure of this exam, along with the knowledge and skills
being measured. It suggests resources to help the candidate prepare for success. This document is not
intended to build product knowledge nor to be used as a comprehensive list of exam content.

Learning Resources
The best preparation is experience and time with the product. To be successful, we strongly encourage
you to complete the Tableau Desktop Specialist Exam Readiness blended learning course or Desktop I:
Fundamentals classroom course.

We also recommend exploring these additional resources:

• Free How-To Training Videos

• Tableau Product Support

• Tableau Product Help

• Visual Analysis Best Practices Guidebook

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Exam Format
• Time Limit: 60 minutes (includes 3 minutes for reviewing the NDA).

• Exam Check-in: Check-in begins 30 minutes before the scheduled exam time.

• Question Format: Multiple choice, Multiple response

• Number of Questions: 45 (40 scored, 5 unscored)

• Scoring: Candidate’s score will be presented after the exam in the ‘View Score Reports’ tab of
their Pearson VUE account.

• Passing Score: The passing scaled score for the Desktop Specialist exam is 750.

• Language(s) Offered: English; translated exams to follow.

• Exam Delivery Provider: Pearson VUE

• Exam Delivery Method: Testing center and online delivery are both available. Learn more about
the check-in process and testing experience for each method here.

System Preparation for an Online-Proctored Exam

For a successful exam experience, ensure your computer, network, and the physical environment are
properly configured. This includes performing a system test before the exam. Review the Technical
Requirements for complete details. For questions, email [email protected] or visit
tableau.com/certification.

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Scoring
Scaled Scoring
Scaled scores are a mathematical conversion of the number of items that a candidate answers correctly so
that there is a consistent scale used across all forms of the exam. A relevant example is the process of
converting pounds to kilograms. The weight of the object has not changed, only the units being reported.

Tableau certification exam results are reported as a score from 100 to 1000. The score shows how the
candidate performed on the examination as a whole and the pass or fail designation. Scaled scoring
models are used to equate scores across multiple exam forms that may have slightly different difficulty
levels.

Score reports are sent when a candidate fails the exam. This report contains a table of categories of
performance at each section level. This information is designed to provide general feedback concerning
examination performance. The examination uses a compensatory scoring model, which means candidates
do not need to “pass” the individual sections, only the overall examination. Each section of the
examination has a specific weighting, some sections have more questions than others. The scoring table
contains general information, highlighting strengths and weaknesses. Section level feedback should be
interpreted with candidate caution and paired with other available forms of remediation before retaking
the exam.

Unscored Content
This examination includes unscored items. These items are placed on the exam to gather statistical
information to verify their validity for future use. These items are not identified on the exam and do not
affect the scoring of the exam.

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Additional Exam Details
Access to Materials, Applications, or Internet
Exam items are written at a recall or understand/apply level. The exam is administered without access to
the Tableau Platform, the internet, or any other outside application.

Comments
Candidates are encouraged to comment on items in the exam. Feedback from all comments is considered
when item performance is reviewed prior to the release of new versions of exam content.

Timeliness
Completing a task effectively and efficiently has become a standard that organizations expect from
employees. This exam is timed as a critical competency of successful candidates.

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Content Outline
As a reference, this exam guide includes test domains, coverage percentages and objectives only. The
table below lists the main content domains and their weightings.

% of Exam
Domain Title
Content

Domain 1: Connecting to & Preparing Data 25%

Domain 2: Exploring & Analyzing Data 35%

Domain 3: Sharing Insights 25%

Domain 4: Understanding Tableau Concepts 15%

TOTAL 100%

Domain Objectives
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a comprehensive listing of the content on this examination.

Domain 1: Connecting to & Preparing Data

1.1 Create live connections and extracts

1.1.1 Create a live connection to a data source

1.1.2 Explain the differences between using live connections versus extracts

1.1.3 Create an extract

1.1.4 Save metadata properties in a .TDS

1.1.5 Create a data source that uses multiple connections

1.2 Create and manage the data model

1.2.1 Add relationships to a data source

1.2.2 Add joins and unions

1.2.3 Explain when to use a join versus a relationship

1.3 Manage data properties

1.3.1 Rename a data field

1.3.2 Assign an alias to a data value

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1.3.3 Assign a geographic role to a data field

1.3.4 Change data type for a data field (number, date, string, Boolean, etc.)

1.3.5 Change default properties for a data field (number format, aggregation, color, date
format, etc.)

Domain 2: Exploring & Analyzing Data

2.1 Create basic charts

2.1.1 Create a bar chart

2.1.2 Create a line chart

2.1.3 Create a scatterplot

2.1.4 Create a map using geographic data

2.1.5 Create a combined axis chart

2.1.6 Create a dual axis chart

2.1.7 Create a stacked bar

2.1.8 Create a density map

2.1.9 Create a chart to show specific values (crosstab, highlight table)

2.2 Organize data and apply filters

2.2.1 Create groups by using marks, headers, and the data pane

2.2.2 Create sets by using marks and the data pane

2.2.3 Organize dimensions into a hierarchy

2.2.4 Add a filter to a view

2.2.5 Add a date filter

2.3 Apply analytics to a worksheet

2.3.1 Add a manual or a computed sort

2.3.2 Add a reference line

2.3.3 Use a quick table calculation

2.3.4 Use bins and histograms

2.3.5 Create a calculated field (e.g. string, date, simple arithmetic)

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2.3.6 Explain when to use a parameter

2.3.7 Display totals on a worksheet

Domain 3: Sharing Insights

3.1 Format view for presentation

3.1.1 Use color from the marks card

3.1.2 Configure fonts

3.1.3 Format marks as shapes

3.1.4 Configure viz animations

3.1.5 Change size of marks

3.1.6 Show and hide legends

3.2 Create and modify a dashboard

3.2.1 Add worksheets to a dashboard

3.2.2 Add interactive elements for consumers (e.g. show filters, data highlighter, tooltips)

3.2.3 Add dashboard actions (e.g. filter action, highlight action, parameter control, URL action)

3.2.4 Configure a dashboard layout and create device-specific dashboards

3.2.5 Create a story and a story point

3.3 View and share workbook data

3.3.1 Share a workbook (e.g. twbx as a PDF or an image, publish to Tableau Server)

3.3.2 View and export underlying data

3.3.3 Export to Microsoft PowerPoint

Domain 4: Understanding Tableau Concepts

4.1 Understand dimensions and measures

4.1.1 Explain what kind of information dimensions usually contain

4.1.2 Explain what kind of information measures usually contain

4.1.3 Explain the difference between dimensions and measures

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4.2 Understand discrete and continuous fields

4.2.1 Explain how discrete fields are displayed

4.2.2 Explain how continuous fields are displayed

4.2.3 Explain the difference between discrete date parts and continuous date values

4.3 Understand aggregations

4.3.1 Explain the default aggregation for measures

4.3.2 Describe how an aggregated measure changes when dimensions are added to a view

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Practice Exam Questions
The questions below are provided to give candidates an awareness of the type of questions, structure, and
wording to expect on the exam and should not be used to assess knowledge or preparedness. They are not
a learning resource for the Desktop product, nor do they provide the experience needed to successfully
pass the exam.

You are encouraged to work through your own solutions first before looking at the solutions provided.

1. Which of the following is the best reason to use an extract instead of a live connection

a. Your data source only supports a live connection via ODBC.

b. You need to refresh the data as often as possible.

c. You need to apply an aggregation that takes a very long time when using a live connection.

d. You need to join tables in the data source.

2. You created a group by using field labels in a view.

You need to remove several members from a group.

What should you do?

a. From the view, right-click the group members and select Exclude.

b. From the Data pane, right-click the group and select Edit Group.

c. From the view, right-click the group members and select Format.

d. From the color legend, right-click the group members and select Format legends.

3. Which two interactive elements can you add to a dashboard?

a. URL actions

b. Edit tooltip options

c. Filter actions

d. Hide and unhide all sheet options

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4. What type of field would display the average value of homes in the United States for the calendar year
2020?

a. A discrete date part dimension

b. A continuous date value dimension

c. A geographical dimension

d. An aggregated measure

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Solutions

1. Which of the following is the best reason to use an extract instead of a live connection?

The correct answer is c. You need to apply an aggregation that takes too long when using a live connection.

2. You created a group by using field labels in a view. How can you remove members from the group?

The correct answer is b. In the Data pane, right-click the group and select Edit Group.

3. Interactive elements that you can add to a dashboard for users include ______________.

The correct answers are a. URL actions & c. filter actions.

4. A field that shows average home values for the United States in 2020 is most likely:

The correct answer is d. An aggregated measure.

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