One of the main ways in which Tableau Next outperforms Tableau Desktop is in data organisation. Unlike Desktop, Next is centered around data objects and semantic models. Tableau Desktop uses objects such as data sources, calculated fields, worksheets and dashboards. A typical workflow might involve connecting to a database, relating tables, creating calculations, building charts, and finally assembling dashboards. All of these objects, however, are contained within a single workbook, meaning they cannot be easily reused across different projects or teams.
Tableau Next, on the other hand, has a more structured architecture through reusable data objects such as:
- Data Lake Objects (DLOs), which store raw data exactly as it is structured in its external source
- Data Model Objects (DMOs), which are created from raw data to represent information in a more business-friendly way
These objects are stored within the Semantic Model, which define relationships, metrics, calculations, and business rules.
This greatly reduces the need for duplicate work since these objects can be reused and remain consistent across the workspace. Rather than creating the same calculations repeatedly in multiple workbooks, organisations can define logic once and use it throughout different reports and dashboards.
Tableau Next also introduces another useful feature: the Data Table option. This allows users to create a table in the same way they would create any other visualisation. While Tableau Desktop can create text tables and crosstabs, building clean and flexible table views is a notoriously frustrating process. Data Tables in Tableau Next make this much easier by allowing users to build reusable, structured views of their data within the semantic layer.
While Tableau Desktop specialises in visual analytics and dashboard creation, Tableau Next allows for a broader analytics platform where data becomes a reusable asset. Instead of building everything around individual workbooks, Tableau Next focuses on creating consistent, governed objects that can be shared across teams.