8 Replies Latest reply on May 1, 2018 7:17 AM by Jim Dehner

Joining data from different files with same columns

Andy Spink May 1, 2018 3:55 AM

I keep a central database in google sheets (for collaborative purposes), but this has now exceeded the cell limit for the workbook.

I have split the data into three separate google sheet files by year: '2016', '2017', '2018'.

Each of these workbooks share identical column IDs, and I simply need to join them in tableau as if they were tabs in a union.

I have tried joining them but this uses the unique column ID my calculations are based on.

What else can I try?

1. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

Jim Dehner May 1, 2018 4:01 AM (in response to Andy Spink)

Good morning

see the link below

the Wildcard union is would be the way to go

Wildcard Union on tableau server

If you haven't seen the new Tableau Prep - it would also be a good choice

https://onlinehelp.tableau.com/current/prep/en-us/help.html#prep_get_started.html

Jim

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2. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

saurabh.c.0 May 1, 2018 4:03 AM (in response to Andy Spink)

You can do the union in tableau if all 3 files have same columns.
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3. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

Andy Spink May 1, 2018 4:08 AM (in response to saurabh.c.0)

I didn't think it was possible to union sheets from different google sheet files?

I can only connect them using joins, which isn't giving me the right result.
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4. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

saurabh.c.0 May 1, 2018 4:15 AM (in response to Andy Spink)

https://onlinehelp.tableau.com/v10.1/pro/desktop/en-us/help.html#union.html

You need to use the wildcard option
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5. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

Andy Spink May 1, 2018 4:22 AM (in response to saurabh.c.0)

It doesn't give me the option to expand my search to find the other google docs. Any ideas why?
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6. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

Jim Dehner May 1, 2018 4:32 AM (in response to Andy Spink)

did you try to put them into the same folders

see the link Union Your Data

Jim

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7. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

Andy Spink May 1, 2018 5:26 AM (in response to Jim Dehner)

All sorted. Thanks for the assistance!
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8. Re: Joining data from different files with same columns

Jim Dehner May 1, 2018 7:17 AM (in response to Andy Spink)

If it solved your issue please mark the response correct to close the
thread.
Jim

On Tue, May 1, 2018, 7:34 AM Andy Spink <tableaucommunity@tableau.com>
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