How to Save a View in Tableau

Working in Tableau means constantly slicing, dicing, and filtering your data until you uncover that perfect insight. The problem? That "perfect" view, with its specific filters and selections, can be a pain to recreate every time you open the workbook. This article walks you through exactly how to save those specific analytical views in Tableau so you can jump right back to your insights without starting from scratch.

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First, What Exactly is a "View" in Tableau?

Before we get into the "how," let's clarify what we mean by a "view." In the context of Tableau, a view isn't just the dashboard or worksheet itself. It's a specific state of that worksheet or dashboard. This includes:

• Any filters you've applied (e.g., region, date range, product category).
• How you've sorted the data (e.g., sales descending).
• Specific data points or marks you've selected or highlighted.
• Zoom levels on maps or charts.
• Parameters you've set.

Saving a view is like taking a snapshot of your analysis at a precise moment. It preserves all those settings so you, or your teammates, can instantly return to a particular perspective. It's different from saving the entire workbook (.twb or .twbx file), which saves the overall structure. Saving a view saves a specific way of looking at the data within that structure.

Imagine you're a marketing manager looking at a campaign performance dashboard. You might apply filters to see "Facebook Ads Campaigns," for the "Last 30 Days," targeting the "USA," sorted by "Highest ROI." Instead of applying those four filters every single morning, you can save this configuration as a view named "Daily Facebook USA Performance." One click, and you're there.

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The Main Method: Saving Custom Views in Tableau Server & Cloud

The standard and most powerful way to save and share a specific state of your dashboard is by using Custom Views. This feature is designed for collaborative environments where dashboards are published to Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud. It allows anyone with access to the dashboard to save their own personal views or access public ones created by others.

Here’s how to create one step-by-step.

Step 1: Get Your Dashboard to the State You Want to Save

First, interact with your published dashboard just as you normally would. Open the workbook on your Tableau Server or Cloud instance and begin your analysis.

• Apply Filters: Set all your filters to the desired values. This could be selecting a specific region, time frame, or customer segment.
• Sort Data: If you have tables or bar charts, sort them in the order that makes the most sense for your analysis (e.g., highest to lowest sales).
• Select Marks: You can even select or highlight specific marks (like a few countries on a map or particular products in a scatter plot) to draw attention to them.

Essentially, get the dashboard looking exactly as you'd want it to appear the moment you open it again.

Step 2: Find and Click the 'View' Icon

Once everything is set, look at the toolbar at the top of the Tableau interface. You'll see an icon that looks like a pair of glasses or binoculars with a small dropdown arrow. This is the "View" or "Custom Views" button.

Click this icon. A dropdown menu or a dialog box will appear, showing any existing views and giving you the option to save a new one.

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Step 3: Name and Save Your Custom View

In the dialog box that opens, you'll see a field to name your new view. This is the most important part - give it a clear and descriptive name that explains what the view represents.

• Bad Name: "My View 2"
• Good Name: "Q3 High-Priority Sales Leads - West Coast"

Below the name field, you'll see a few important options:

• Set as my default: Check this box if you want this specific view to load automatically every time you open this workbook. This is incredibly useful for the perspective you check most often.
• Make it public: Check this if you want other users on your Tableau Server/Cloud to see and use your saved view. This is perfect for aligning your team around a shared perspective, like a "Weekly Team KPI Snapshot." If you leave it unchecked, the view remains private and visible only to you.

After naming it and selecting your options, click the "Save" button.

Step 4: Accessing and Managing Your Custom Views

Now, whenever you or your colleagues open this workbook, you can click that same "View" icon. You'll see a list of all your private views and any public views saved by others. Just click on a view's name, and the dashboard will instantly revert to that saved state - all your filters, sorts, and selections will be applied automatically.

You can also manage your views from this dialog box, giving you options to rename them, delete ones you no longer need, or change which one is set as your default.

For Personal Use: Using Bookmarks in Tableau Desktop

What if you aren't using Tableau Server or just want to save a view for your own personal use while you're still building a workbook in Tableau Desktop? This is where Bookmarks come in handy.

Bookmarks (.tbm files) are a lighter-weight, local-only way to save a worksheet's state. Think of them as shortcuts for your own personal workflow, not a sharing tool.

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How to Create a Bookmark

1. Set up your worksheet: Just like with Custom Views, first arrange the worksheet exactly how you want it. Apply your filters, sorts, and make any necessary selections on the viz.
2. Navigate to the Bookmarks Menu: At the top menu bar of Tableau Desktop, go to Window > Bookmarks.
3. Create the Bookmark: Click Create Bookmark... A small dialog will pop up asking you to name your bookmark. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Marketing Spend Breakdown") and click "OK."

That's it! Your bookmark is now saved. To access it, you simply go back to Window > Bookmarks and you will see your named bookmark in the list. Clicking it will instantly restore the worksheet to its saved state.

A key thing to remember: Bookmarks are stored locally on your computer in your "My Tableau Repository" folder. They are tied to your specific installation of Tableau Desktop. They don't get published with your workbook and cannot be seen or used by others on Tableau Server.

Custom Views vs. Bookmarks: Which One Should You Use?

Both methods save a specific state of your visualization, but they serve very different purposes. Here's a quick comparison to help you decide:

Final Thoughts

Mastering how to save views is a small change that makes a huge difference in your day-to-day efficiency with Tableau. Use Custom Views on Tableau Server and Cloud to streamline reporting for yourself and your team, and use Bookmarks in Tableau Desktop to speed up your personal development and analysis workflow. It's all about spending less time clicking filters and more time acting on the insights you find.

Once you've gotten used to saving views, the next logical step is to make the entire process of getting to that initial insight even faster. That's why we built Graphed to help. Instead of manually clicking through filters and sorting through menus to create your ideal view, you can simply describe what you want to see - "Show me a dashboard of Shopify revenue by marketing channel for the last quarter." We handle connecting the data and building the visualization instantly, effectively turning hours of dashboard setup into a 30-second conversation.