Chapter 4: Tableau Server Top Toolbar

In this chapter, you will learn how to utilize the features that are available from Tableau Server's top toolbar. Because the top toolbar is so useful, the options you will learn about here will always be available to you as you navigate the server interface.

You will learn how to quickly search for content, find Tableau Server help, recognize received notifications, explore your content, and manage your personal account settings. A solid understanding of how to use the top toolbar will greatly enhance your Tableau Server experience, by helping you identify and resolve important notifications and quickly find the items you need.

By the end of this chapter, you will know how to utilize all the options featured on your top toolbar. We will be covering the following topics:

• Understanding the top toolbar
• Examining Quick Search
• Examining the Help Menu
• Examining Notifications
• Examining My Content and Account Settings...

Understanding the top toolbar

The top toolbar can be found in the top-right corner of your Tableau Server window. It provides a quick way to search for important items, receive Tableau Server help or support, see notifications, access all your content, and change your account settings. The following screenshot shows an example of your top toolbar within the Tableau Server window:

Figure 4.1 – Tableau Server top toolbar

In this chapter, we will review the options that are available in the top toolbar. Let's begin by quickly explaining each of these options:

• Quick Search: This appears as a magnifying glass icon with the word Search next to it contained in a search box. It is located in the top-right corner of your page. This option is a fast way to look for items on the server using a text search.
• Help Menu: This appears as a question mark icon in the top-right corner of your page. Clicking this icon will provide you with shortcuts to...

Examining Quick Search

Quick Search is a search box that provides a fast way to enter a query and search for associated items. After submitting a search term, Tableau Server will analyze its contents for matching words in things such as names, descriptions, tags, comments, captions, owners, metadata, and other additional information. This search box can be found on the top right-hand side of your page and can be identified by the magnifying glass icon, with the words Search for views, metrics, workbooks, and more next to it.

Your Quick Search option functions much like a web search engine. When you click the search box, your cursor will begin to flash, indicating that Quick Search has been selected. As you enter the search terms you want to query, items that share the same text will automatically begin to populate in a drop-down menu below your search box, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 4.2 – Quick Search

Dashboard images created by...

Examining the Help Menu

The Help Menu is a shortcut you can use to find Tableau Server product support when you need it. It is represented by a question mark icon and can be found in the top-right corner of your page on the top toolbar, between the Quick Search (search box) and the Notifications icon, as shown in Figure 4.7:

Figure 4.7 – Help Menu icon

Clicking this icon will open the drop-down menu shown in Figure 4.8:

Figure 4.8 – Help Menu drop-down options

The first option that's available to you at the top of your Help Menu is the Search Help feature. The Help Menu search box allows you to type your search criteria directly into the Tableau Server window. After hitting Enter, a new web browser tab or window will open with your search result options on Tableau's Support website.

This shortcut enables you to seamlessly find solutions without ever having to leave the Tableau Server environment to open a...

Examining Notifications

Tableau Server Notifications is a feature designed to inform you of changes occurring with server content that may be important to you, such as shares, comments, and data extract information. The Notifications center is represented by a bell icon and is located on the top toolbar, between the Help Menu and your profile icon, as shown in Figure 4.9:

Figure 4.9 – Notification icon (with a notification)

When you have a new notification, you will notice a red dot appear on the bell icon. You can click the bell icon at any time to look at new and previous notifications. An example of the notifications drop-down is shown in Figure 4.10:

Figure 4.10 – Notifications drop-down

You can use the tabs at the top of the Notifications drop-down to toggle the view to show All of your notifications or only the Unread ones. A blue dot to the left of the notification indicates that it is unread. Once the notification...

Examining My Content and Account Settings

The last feature available in the top toolbar is the My Content and Account Settings menu. By default, this option appears as a circle with your initials inside of it in the top-right corner of your page, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 4.12 – My Content and Account Settings icon

This menu provides a shortcut that you can use to access your content on Tableau Server, a location to adjust your server settings, and more. It contains conveniences that can aid you in quickly navigating the server and help you customize your server experience.

We will examine each option that's available, starting with My Content.

My Content

The first selection that's available in the My Content and Account Settings drop-down menu is My Content. This option is shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 4.13 – My Content menu option

As the name indicates, this page provides...

Summary

In this chapter, you learned how to best utilize the available options on the Tableau Server top toolbar. We discussed how the Quick Search box serves as a great way to enter a query and easily obtain fast results. You also learned efficient ways to refine searches through the use of Search Operators and Attributes. We then reviewed how the Help Menu works to streamline your experience with Tableau products and Support. The Notifications section taught you how to identify when an extract refresh failure requires attention. Finally, we looked at how My Content and Account Settings can help you quickly find your content, manage alerts and subscriptions, and customize your experience on Tableau Server to your preferences.

After finishing this chapter, you have a more thorough understanding of the top toolbar than just what you can quickly observe. You know when and how you would want to use these available options. This knowledge will help you efficiently navigate and personalize...