Welcome to your Tableau trial
We're excited to meet you
The steps and resources below will help you get the most out of your trial
What is Tableau?
Before we dive into the content below, let’s do a quick overview of the different parts of the Tableau Platform. With Tableau, you can quickly connect to almost any data source and start getting insights immediately.
See Tableau in ActionThe Tableau Platform
The Tableau Platform is made up of three foundational products that work together to create a cohesive data flow from raw information to clear insights.
Prepare your data
Clean up dirty data with ease and speed. Automate data cleansing processes with Tableau Prep, part of Tableau Data Management.
Analyze and explore
Fuel unlimited data exploration with Tableau Desktop. Interactive dashboards help you uncover hidden insights on the fly.
Author, analyze, collaborate
With Tableau Server or fully-hosted Tableau Cloud, author visualizations, find insights, share them with teammates, and make critical decisions.
Orient yourself
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile002_2.jpg)
Get familiar with the Tableau Desktop interface so you can find your way around during your trial.
Watch: Tour the Tableau Desktop Interface
Get familiar with rest of the Tableau Platform by touring Tableau Prep and Tableau Cloud/Server.
Connect to data
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile003_1.jpg)
Tableau connects to a variety of data sources. Learn how to connect to data with these resources.
Watch: Connect to Data in Tableau Desktop
Learn how to connect to data with Tableau Prep and Tableau Cloud/Server
You can also use Ready made starter workbooks to get a feel for Tableau
Clean up messy data
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/903438_rbpnurture_desktopcreator_featurehighlight2_800x447.jpg)
Often, data is dirty or not structured correctly to effectively analyze it in Tableau Desktop. Tableau Prep, our data prep product, empowers more people to get to analysis faster by helping them quickly and confidently combine, shape, and clean their data. Try Tableau Prep for free.
Watch: Working with Tableau Prep
Watch: Cleaning data in Tableau Desktop
Build a data visualization
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile004.jpg)
Now that you've connected to data, it’s time to start building a data visualization (viz for short) in Tableau so you can see your data up close.
Watch: Build a Visualization in Desktop or author a visualization on the web with Tableau Cloud/Server
Refine your visualization
Build a map
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile010.jpg)
Getting your location data on a map is easy as dragging and dropping. Learn how to see your geographic data in a map in Tableau with these resources.
Watch: Build a Map
Deeper reading: Build and Use Maps
Combine views into a dashboard
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile006.jpg)
Combine multiple views into a single, interactive dashboard. Include filters, images, and webpages in your dashboard for a more complete view of your data.
Watch: Build a Dashboard
Share and collaborate
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile007.jpg)
Don't keep your insights to yourself - share them with your colleagues. Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud allows you to publish visualizations and dashboards to the web so others can interact with your analytics and answer their own questions of the data. Sharing and collaborating with Tableau
Our #DataFam is here for you
![](https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/tile008.jpg)
The community of Tableau users can’t wait to meet you. Ask questions, get help, share ideas, network, and hear what’s coming next.
- Join the Tableau Community
- Follow us on Twitter
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on LinkedIn
Ready to buy
Start your trial
Follow these easy steps to start your trial (<5 minutes):
- Download Tableau Desktop. If you've already downloaded it, locate the file on your computer
- Open the downloaded file and follow prompts to install Tableau Desktop
- Once installed, open Tableau Desktop and fill out the registration form
You can now start exploring your data in Tableau! Scroll up on this page to find helpful ways to get started. If you need more help installing Tableau, check out this Help article.