Copy data from a website to create a data connection in Tableau

Sometimes for quick data analysis, copy data from a website to create a data connection in Tableau

When data is pasted in Tableau desktop, Tableau will create a new Clipboard data source. Once the workbook is saved, this data source will be saved as a text file in My Tableau Repository.

  • Data can also be pasted from other applications such as MS-Excel or MS-word.

Creating Data Source connection from Clipboard

To explain this concept, I will use the data table mentioned on Candystore.com 

The data gives, for each State, the Top Candy and Pounds sold, 2nd Place Candy and Pounds sold and 3rd Place candy and Pounds sold.

Most Popular Halloween Candy State-by-State

1. Navigate to  Candystore.com and copy the data in the table provided for popular halloween candy by states.

2.  Navigate to Tableau workbook, for this exercise, I will use the workbook in created in the previous article What Halloween Candies to buy 

3. In Tableau workbook, navigate to menu – Data and select Paste

 4. Tableau will create a new datasource with the pasted data. Field names F1,F2,F3 etc. are generic and can be renamed appropriately.

Tableau will also create a new Sheet automatically displaying the data.

5. I will rename the columns appropriately. Snapshot of my data in the view will appear as

Now I can do some analysis on this data, to find the consumption of these three categories of candy by State.

Once this workbook is saved, a dialogue box will popup showing the location where this datasource is saved.

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