Tableau brings improved admin features in 2020.1 release

February 26, 2020

Screenshot of Tableau’s new dynamic parameters feature.

Tableau’s latest release includes a bevy of features that aim to offer more flexibility for administrators and stronger data visualization capabilities.

Release 2020.1 of the company’s software brings Dynamic Parameters, a feature that automatically updates a parameter’s list of values when underlying data is changed. Previously, parameters — which are used by dashboard authors to add interactivity to a report without the need for multiple visualizations — were static and required users to manually update their values.

The latest release also introduces Viz Animations, which essentially animate visualizations to help users understand how their data is changing.

Additional updates include:

Login-based license management.
The addition of Google BigQuery, Google Sheets, and Cloudfile as available data sources.
New visual calculations in Tableau prep builder.
Buffer Calculations for easier visualizations around a point location.

Tableau — which was acquired by Salesforce for $15.7 billion — stressed that development of the 2020.1 update was based on user feedback.

“Our extensive and passionate Tableau Community helps steer our product innovation and keeps us focused on solving our customers’ most pressing challenges,” said Francois Ajenstat, Tableau’s chief product officer. “This release brings some of our community’s most-requested updates together, empowering our customers to make analytics more interactive and engaging and allowing them to focus on tasks that drive real value and transformation across their organizations.”