The term "filter action" in Tableau refers specifically to enabling interaction-based filtering on dashboards. This means that you can create a more dynamic and interactive experience for users by allowing them to select a specific data point or area within a visualization, which then filters other related visualizations on the dashboard based on that selection.
For example, if a user clicks on a bar in a bar chart, a filter action can be set up so that it automatically updates other charts or tables in the dashboard to only display data related to that clicked bar. This interactivity enhances the user's ability to explore data and glean insights in real time.
The other options relate to different functionalities within Tableau but do not capture the essence of what a filter action specifically does. Predefined filters apply to specific visualizations without user interaction, removing unwanted data pertains to data cleaning rather than interaction, and structuring the data source connection concerns how data is connected to Tableau rather than how it's filtered interactively.