Workbook problem or platform problem?
- Slow for everyone, all the time: usually the workbook or its data.
- Slow at certain times of day: usually the platform is busy.
- Slow after a recent change: look at what changed.
- Many dashboards slow at once: almost always the platform.
Common workbook causes
- Too much data: more rows and columns than the dashboard needs.
- Too many filters, especially ones that show every value.
- Too many sheets and marks on one dashboard.
- Complex calculations worked out every time the view loads.
- Slow live connections or heavy custom SQL.
Tableau has good tools for this: the Workbook Optimizer, performance recording and a workbook performance checklist.
Common platform causes
- Busy periods: many people opening dashboards while refreshes are running.
- Refreshes that run late, so views are rebuilt at the worst time. See why refreshes run late.
- A platform that has outgrown its sizing.
- Slow source databases behind live connections.
What to fix first
- Start with the most used dashboards. A small gain there helps the most people.
- Simplify: fewer sheets, filters and marks.
- Use extracts where live data is not needed, and keep them lean.
- Move heavy refreshes away from the hours people are working.
- Then look at capacity, if many dashboards are slow at busy times.
Keep it fast
Performance drifts as data grows and content is added. VizBolt Intelligence watches load times and warns you when they start to slip, before users complain. For a full picture of where time goes across your platform, a Deployment Audit includes performance and solution design.
Common questions
Why is my Tableau dashboard slow?
Usually because of the workbook (too much data, too many filters, sheets or complex calculations) or the platform (busy periods, late refreshes or limited capacity).
How do I find out what is slowing a dashboard?
Use Tableau’s Workbook Optimizer and performance recording for the workbook, and check whether the slowness happens for everyone or only at busy times.
How do I make Tableau dashboards faster?
Simplify the dashboard, reduce the data it uses, prefer lean extracts, move heavy refreshes out of working hours, and review capacity if many dashboards are slow together.
Further reading: Tableau Help, Optimize workbook performance; Workbook performance checklist; Performance recording. Tableau and Salesforce are trademarks of Salesforce, Inc.