Importing Non-Spatial Geographic Data Sources

Many geographic data sources are not specifically spatial sources but are instead found in spreadsheet or database formats as part of a larger dataset. These datasets will typically contain non-geographic data, such as customer information, time-period details, and assorted metrics. Geographic features such as country, state, and city will often also be included, making it possible to create maps displaying many data attributes.

Tableau makes it easy to create maps from these sources, although you may need to assist in the process, as you'll see shortly. Since many Tableau data sources will not reside in spatial formats, it is essential to make sure you can use general data sources to display geographic information at the appropriate level of detail.

Importing these sources is no different than the process for any general type of Tableau data. The only difference here is that you require one or more geographic fields to...