Data Driven Dude

A Little Story About Tableau Keyboard Shortcuts: The Ultimate Mouse and Keyboard Combination

When you think of Tableau, one of its biggest strengths is that you can carry out advanced data analysis simply through intuitive “drag and drop.” You cannot talk about Tableau without mouse operations. However, as a dedicated keyboard shortcut user, I, Laiken, would like to suggest to all Tableau users that you can often work faster if you rely more on the keyboard.

I originally grew up with Unix and Emacs and am perhaps what you would call an internet old timer. For those of us raised in the good old text based world, what we would now call Terminal apps or PowerShell, the keyboard is still king even today. In this article I will introduce techniques that let you make your life a little easier by combining keyboard shortcuts with standard mouse operations in Tableau, while also reflecting the somewhat religious viewpoint of a keyboard supremacist.

Why use keyboard shortcuts together with the mouse?

“Drag and drop is a source of accidents.”

This is a completely personal opinion, so I fully accept disagreement, but drag and drop is a source of accidents. You may drop things slightly away from the intended pixel, and if your hand slips you can easily trigger unexpected actions. The effort of moving the cursor back and forth many times just to open menus is also not pleasant.

The mouse is the strongest tool for exploration, but when it comes to repeated operations and precise control, there are many situations where the keyboard is superior. That is why I would like to propose a hybrid style that combines the keyboard and the mouse. There are two main benefits.

  1. Improved speed and accuracy: You gain more operations that can be executed reliably with a single command, without worrying about drag distance.
  2. Reduced strain: You reduce the burden of gripping the mouse with your right hand all the time and let your left hand on the keyboard share the work. This distributes fatigue during long sessions and also helps prevent tendonitis and similar injuries.

For Mac users: easy “modding” through custom shortcut definitions

For those who use Tableau Desktop Public Edition on a Mac, I strongly recommend using the standard macOS feature for shortcut customisation.

System Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts > App Shortcuts

Here you can specify the Tableau Public app and assign any shortcut you like by entering the exact menu item name (if the menu name ends with three dots, be sure to include the dots). My recommended settings are the following two.

1. Forcibly reassign “Save” to Cmd + S

In Tableau Public Desktop Edition, the default Cmd + S is assigned to “Save to Tableau Public” (upload to the web), and if you want to save frequently, a dialog appears every time, which is extremely stressful.

You can solve this by assigning Cmd + S to the “Save” menu item (or the command that corresponds to local save only). This lets you save frequently just as easily as in any other Mac app.

2. Assign Cmd + Shift + C to create a calculated field

Many of you probably create calculated fields frequently in the Data pane. For me it was painful to have to right click with the mouse or search the drop down menu every time. Try assigning Cmd + Shift + C to the “Create Calculated Field…” menu item. You can start writing your logic without breaking your train of thought.

What about Windows users?

To perform similar customisation on Windows, it seems that you need additional tools such as PowerToys or AutoHotkey.

A curated list of official shortcuts worth remembering

Of course, Tableau provides powerful keyboard shortcuts by default. You do not have to memorise all of them. Here I have carefully selected those that are especially convenient when used together with the mouse.

Basic operations for building views (Windows and Mac)

These are actions you can perform quickly with your left hand while holding the mouse with your right hand.

Placing fields without dragging

If you select a field with the mouse, you can place it on each shelf by pressing the keys below. Think of this as performing “drag and drop” through shortcuts.

Tip: In many cases the letter matches the initial of the English word (Columns, Rows, Filter, cOlour, and so on).

Fine tuning dashboard layout

Pixel level adjustments that are difficult to perform with the mouse are where the keyboard really shines. I recommend placing objects roughly with the mouse and handling fine adjustments with the keyboard.

In closing

“Do not be used by your tools. Instead, master them.”

Learning keyboard shortcuts is a powerful way to turn any tool, not only Tableau, into something you can use like an extension of your own hands, without consciously thinking about the operations. Becoming fluent in physical operations is a shortcut to reaching a state of flow.

Start today by picking just one new shortcut from this list and using it. A week from now, your fingers will probably be moving on their own.