Tableau, a data visualization software company, has announced a new capability that allows local file-saving for users of its free Tableau Public version. This feature addresses a longstanding request from Tableau Public users, eliminating the need to publish work online if users prefer to keep their projects private. The announcement was made at the annual Tableau Conference in San Diego, attended by over 8,000 in-person attendees along with a virtual audience. CEO Ryan Aytay shared that this new capability is part of an effort to appeal to loyal Tableau users, known as the “DataFam,” who have expressed concerns about the company’s direction since its acquisition by Salesforce five years ago.
The local file-saving feature is designed to provide users with a sandbox environment where they can access and analyze their private or personal data without sharing it online. Aytay highlighted that this was a key request from Tableau users, and the company is now bringing this capability to the Tableau community. While users of Tableau’s paid desktop software have been able to save files locally and privately, Tableau Public users previously had to use workarounds to save their work online in a way that wasn’t visible to others. The expansion of Tableau Desktop Public Edition is aimed at addressing this issue and providing a better user experience for Tableau Public users.
In addition to the local file-saving feature, Tableau is expected to outline its long-term vision for AI integration on its platform during the conference. This vision includes leveraging automation to access data sources, cleanse and analyze data, and automatically suggest visualizations. Tableau is also considering the possibility of creating a marketplace where users can reuse, share, and potentially monetize data visualizations and other assets they create. Recently, Tableau released a beta version of Salesforce’s AI technology, Einstein Copilot for Tableau, which allows users to ask questions about their data in natural language and receive answers in the form of data visualizations and text.
Tableau will also announce an expanded partnership with Databricks, a cloud-based data and AI company, during the conference. This partnership aims to facilitate easier sharing of data between the two platforms, enhancing the overall user experience for Tableau and Databricks users. The event follows reports of Salesforce’s efforts to further expand its data capabilities through potential acquisitions. Although talks to acquire Informatica, a data-management software company, fell apart due to failed negotiations, Salesforce remains focused on strengthening its data offerings. The ongoing developments in AI integration and data sharing underscore Tableau’s commitment to innovation and addressing the evolving needs of its user base.
