User's Guide for Supporting Veterans in Massachusetts Interactive Data Tool
Dashboard Functions
- Tool tip
- You can use your cursor to hover over the data in the tool to see more details.
- Tabs
- There are multiple ways to view the data. Each tab includes a different view. Select the tab that best reflects your question (e.g., What is the financial status of veterans in different parts of the state?). To see these different views, click on the relevant tab in the top left of each visualization.
- Filters
- Each visualization contains filters that allow you to customize the report to meet your needs. You can apply filters to drill down into specific data. Once a filter is selected, the graph will update to reflect what you want to view. Applying a filter will not affect the original data. Filter options are located to the left or right of the data.
For filters that are displayed in a list
Selecting one item will filter the resources to display only the items of interest. For example, selecting “Physical and/or Mental Health” will filter the items on the left in the example below.
When selecting a single item
Select the item of interest by clicking the radio button. The user in the example below selected survey responses indicating a positive screen for depression, which is then reflected in the graph.
For filter options that appear in dropdown menus
Step 1 Click on the filter to see all available filter options.
Step 2 Select the option(s) on the menu to focus on specific data or to select a specific category. For example, when you select race/ethnicity, the corresponding data are reflected in the graph.
Other Functions: Tips and Tricks
Use the following buttons at the bottom of each visualization to modify the view and save the data to a separate file.
- Undo
- Undo your last click or selection.
- Reset
- Clear all filters and return to the original view.
- Full Screen
- View the tool in full-screen mode.
- Download
- This button allows the user to export the charts and underlying data in the tool. Some options may not be available for some visualizations.
- Download the chart or table as a PDF.
- Crosstab
- Transfer the data from the dashboard to Microsoft Excel by selecting data from a table.
- Data
- The data feeding the report will open in a new window. These data can then be downloaded as a text file.
- Image
- Save the visualization as an image. An image of the current graph (with filters) will be created. Images are an appropriate resolution for PowerPoint presentations.
How to Print
You can quickly print all or part of a visualization by selecting the PDF option from the Download button menu. You can select your PDF orientation and paper size and choose whether to print the entire workbook or selected sheets from the print screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I access the data behind the interactive report?
- Access to the original data source varies depending on the tab. If the data are available, you can use the Download button, then select Data from the menu. The data will then be exported to Excel. If you do not see Data as an option, try selecting specific data parameters in the tab first, then repeat the data export process.
- How can I get more information?
- For more information about the project, visit the Massachusetts Veteran and Military Study. You can contact us via email at massvetdataviz@rand.org
- Are any other Tableau-related resources available?
- Yes. Tableau has several training videos and tutorials on tableau.com