Setting up alerts in Tableau Server can be a valuable tool for businesses, allowing them to notify key individuals when data reaches specific thresholds. These alerts can be automatically sent via email or as notifications on the Tableau Server website. Let's go through the process of creating an alert using an example of setting up an alert for a new cohort blog record:
1. To begin, select the desired dashboard and click on the "Watch" tab located at the top of the page.
2. From the available options, choose "Alerts" to initiate the alert creation process.
3. Next, pick a numeric axis on the chart for which you want to set up the alert. This will be the axis relevant to the data you want to monitor, such as "Total Blog Count."
4. In the Alerts side panel on the right-hand side, click on "Create" to start setting up your alert.
5. Now, you need to specify the condition for the alert and input the corresponding threshold value. For instance, you can select a condition like "Above or equal to" and set the threshold to "224."
6. In the Subject field, name the alert appropriately, such as "Data Alert – New Record."
7. Choose the option for when you want the alert to be sent from the "When the condition is true, send alert:" dropdown. For example, you can select "Once- the first time it’s true" to receive the alert only the first time it becomes true.
8. Add the recipient(s) whom you want to be notified when the alert is triggered. In this instance, "Sanjeev Dosanjh" has been added as the recipient.
9. If you want other users to be able to see the alert and add themselves to it, select the option "Make visible to others."
10. Finally, click on "Create Alert" to save and activate the alert.
Once the alert is successfully created, you can manage it from the alerts pane. You have the flexibility to edit, change the owner, or even delete the alert using the Actions drop-down menu.
When the data reaches the specified threshold, and the alert is triggered, you will receive an email from Tableau Server. The email will contain a snapshot of the view with the relevant data, as well as a link to the dashboard for further analysis.
Setting up alerts in Tableau Server empowers businesses to stay informed in real-time and take timely actions when data reaches critical points. It streamlines the monitoring process and ensures that key stakeholders are promptly notified of significant changes in the data. By using alerts effectively, businesses can make data-driven decisions more efficiently and respond proactively to emerging trends or issues.