How does Tableau approach the issue of missing data?

Tableau handles missing data in a versatile manner, providing users with various options to deal with null values. Showing null values is one approach that allows analysts to identify where data is missing, which can be crucial for understanding the context of the data. By displaying these null values, Tableau enables users to examine the impact of the missing data on their overall analysis.

Furthermore, Tableau offers the ability to filter out null values if analysts prefer to focus solely on complete data sets. This can be particularly useful when looking for trends or performing calculations where missing information might skew results.

Additionally, substituting missing values with various methods, such as averages or medians, is also a technique available in Tableau. This approach can maintain the integrity of the data set while reducing the number of null values impacting the analysis.

The combination of these options—displaying null values, filtering them out, or substituting them—allows analysts to choose the most suitable method based on the specific context of their analysis, making Tableau a flexible tool for handling missing data.