With the official release of 2020.1 around the corner, this might be a good time to take a closer look to one of the smaller but highly impactful feature play button in the browser.

What does the play button do?

The play button is used for workbooks using pages. Pressing play shows the affect that a measure (like time) has on your data. Desktop users have already been able to use this feature but it wasn’t available for server and online users until now!

How much effect can 3 little buttons have?

Seeing the effect that a measure like time has on your data can make the data a lot more impactful. You’re no longer clicking between sheets and filters, trying to remember what you just saw but instead you can let the animation play out on its own, stop the animation to investigate or reverse it again.

To see the difference in action, I’ve made a Corona virus dashboard which shows the spread of the virus around the world with a zoom on China and the US. The dashboard itself doesn’t have the play button at this time but if you compare it to the gif attached below, you can sense the difference between having to slide and click or simply starting the animation.


Would you like to see the dashboard that inspired this blog? You can check it out on my Tableau Public. You can also follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In need of further explanations or help? Check out our trainings page and find the one that suits your needs best. You can also hire me as a consultant!