If you're wondering if you can export from Tableau to PowerPoint with predetermined PowerPoint templates using the the built in 'export to PowerPoint' menu item in Tableau, the short answer is "no." But wait, there's hope! In this article we'll explore the three most practical ways to to get your Tableau exports into your org's PowerPoint templates.
Benefits of showcasing Tableau data in PowerPoint
Integrating Tableau visualizations into PowerPoint presentations merges the analytical power of Tableau with the widespread accessibility of PowerPoint, creating a potent tool for data-driven storytelling and decision-making.
- Universally Accessible: PowerPoint is widely used and understood, making it an ideal platform for sharing insights with diverse audiences, including those less familiar with specialized data visualization tools.
- Strategic Storytelling: Integrating Tableau visualizations into PowerPoint presentations allows for a narrative approach to data, facilitating strategic storytelling that can captivate and persuade stakeholders.
- Offline Availability: PowerPoint presentations can be accessed offline, providing a reliable way to share insights in environments where internet access is limited or unavailable.
- Customized Contextualization: Embedding Tableau visuals into PowerPoint slides allows for the addition of contextual information, annotations, and explanations, enhancing the audience's understanding and engagement.
- Professional Formatting: PowerPoint offers extensive formatting options, enabling the creation of visually appealing and professionally branded presentations that reinforce company identity.
- Dynamic Presentations: Although Tableau visualizations are static within PowerPoint, they still offer a visually rich and dynamic way to present complex data that can be more engaging than traditional charts and graphs.
- Wide Distribution: PowerPoint presentations are easily shareable, making them an efficient tool for distributing Tableau-generated insights across an organization or to external partners.
- Meeting Compatibility: PowerPoint is a staple in business meetings, making it a compatible choice for presenting data visualizations in familiar settings, ensuring smooth integration into corporate workflows.
These advantages highlight the significance of presenting Tableau insights within PowerPoint. The following three sections are the three ways to put Tableau visualizations in predetermined PowerPoint templates.
Method 1: Put Tableau Vizzes into Your Company's PowerPoint Template(s) with Rollstack
Fortunately if using your org's predetermined PowerPoint templates when doing reporting with Tableau, Rollstack has you covered. Rollstack's integration with Tableau and PowerPoint allows you to put your beautiful Tableau visualizations into the PowerPoint templates you already have. Follow these steps to use your PowerPoint templates with Tableau, using Rollstack.
To integrate Tableau dashboards into PowerPoint presentations using Rollstack, follow these steps:
Building on the initial steps for using Rollstack to connect Tableau to PowerPoint, here are additional steps to finalize the creation of templated decks:Building on the initial steps for using Rollstack to connect Tableau to PowerPoint, here are additional steps to finalize the creation of templated decks:
- Create a free Rollstack account.
Protip: use the chat feature in Rollstack to ask questions along the way, or if your prefer DIY, view Rollstack docs. - Create and Configure a Rollstack Project: After authorizing your OneDrive and ensuring you have the right permissions, set up a new project in Rollstack. Define the project's scope by selecting the specific Tableau dashboards you wish to embed in your PowerPoint presentation.
- Connect Tableau Dashboards: Within your Rollstack project, link the Tableau dashboards or visualizations you want to include in your PowerPoint template. Specify the dashboards' exact locations and how they should be updated or synced within the presentation.
- Choose PowerPoint Template: Select the PowerPoint file you've authorized through OneDrive as the template for your presentation. This template will serve as the base for embedding Tableau dashboards.
- Map Tableau Visuals to PowerPoint Slides: In Rollstack, map each Tableau visualization to specific slides or placeholders within your PowerPoint template. This step is crucial for ensuring that the right data visualizations appear in the intended locations within your presentation.Configure Sync Settings: Define how and when you want your Tableau dashboards to be updated within the PowerPoint presentation. Rollstack allows for automatic updates at scheduled intervals, ensuring your presentation remains current with the latest data.
- Review and Save Your Configuration: Before finalizing, review your project settings, including the Tableau to PowerPoint mappings and sync settings. Make any necessary adjustments to ensure your presentation will be generated as expected.
- Generate Your Templated Deck: With everything configured, initiate the process to generate your PowerPoint presentation with embedded Tableau dashboards. Rollstack will create a new presentation based on your template, incorporating the latest Tableau visualizations according to your settings.
- Distribute and Share: Once your presentation is ready, share it with stakeholders or team members as needed. Rollstack supports sharing within your organization, ensuring secure and efficient distribution of your data-driven presentation.
- Iterate and Update as Needed: As your data or presentation needs change, return to Rollstack to update your project configuration. You can modify dashboard selections, sync settings, or mappings to PowerPoint slides to keep your presentations aligned with your current data insights.
By following these comprehensive steps, you can leverage Rollstack's powerful integration capabilities to efficiently create dynamic, templated PowerPoint presentations that incorporate the latest Tableau dashboards, facilitating impactful data storytelling and decision-making within your organization.
Method 2: Export to Excel, then Use Excel to Create Visualizations
To export data from Tableau to Excel and then convert it to charts and graphs in PowerPoint, follow these simple steps:
- Export Data from Tableau to Excel:
Open your Tableau workbook and navigate to the worksheet you want to export.
Click on the "Data" menu, then choose "Export Data to Excel."
Save the .xlsx file to your desired location. - Open Excel File:
Navigate to the location where you saved the .xlsx file.
Double-click the file to open it in Excel. - Prepare Data in Excel (if necessary):
Review the exported data.
Make any necessary adjustments to prepare your data for chart creation. This might include organizing the data into columns and rows in a way that will be most effective for your charts. - Convert Excel Data to Charts and Graphs:
Select the data you want to include in your chart.
Go to the "Insert" tab in Excel.
Choose the type of chart or graph that best represents your data (e.g., bar, line, pie, etc.).
Customize your chart as needed using the chart design and format options. - Copy Charts/Graphs to PowerPoint:
Right-click on the chart or graph in Excel.
Select "Copy."
Open your PowerPoint presentation.
Navigate to the slide where you want to include the chart or graph.
Right-click and select "Paste" to insert the chart/graph into your PowerPoint slide. - Finalize PowerPoint Presentation:
Adjust the size and position of your chart/graph within the PowerPoint slide.
Add titles, descriptions, or annotations as needed to provide context to your audience.
Review your slide for clarity and visual appeal.
Obviously this approach is bespoke and requires the duplicated effort of creating the charts and graphs that you already had in Tableau, but if formatting to your exact PowerPoint template is key, and you choose not to use Rollstack, this is one of the few options available other than the next one.
Method 3: Save Screenshots from Tableau and Put Them in Your PowerPoint Template
Like threading a needle, this approach will take extreme attention to detail, but can work for one off decks. Here's how:
- Capture Screenshot from Tableau:
Open the desired dashboard or visualization in Tableau.
Arrange your visualization as needed for the presentation.
Use your operating system's screenshot function (e.g., "Print Screen" on Windows, "Shift + Command + 4" on Mac) to capture the specific area of the screen displaying the Tableau visualization. - Insert Screenshot into PowerPoint:
Open your PowerPoint presentation being sure to use your desired PowerPoint template and navigate to the slide where you want to add the Tableau visualization.
Go to the "Insert" tab, select "Pictures," and then choose "This Device" if you saved the screenshot as a file. Alternatively, you can paste directly using "Ctrl + V" (Windows) or "Command + V" (Mac) if you have the screenshot on your clipboard.
Locate and select the screenshot file, then click "Insert" to add it to your slide. - Adjust Screenshot in Slide:
Once inserted, you can resize, crop, or adjust the screenshot's position on the slide to fit your presentation's layout and design preferences. Be careful with resizing to avoid skewing blurring of your images. - Add Contextual Information:
As always, ad titles, captions, or annotations to your slide to provide context or explain key insights from the Tableau visualization.
The screenshot approach allows you to quickly incorporate Tableau visualizations into your PowerPoint presentations though comes with limitations around image resizing and scaling the multiple reports.
Final Thoughts: Tableau to PPT Templates
While Tableau's lack of direct to existing PowerPoint template export may seem limiting, several effective methods exist to seamlessly integrate your visualizations into presentations. Rollstack offers the most scalable approach for those with many decks to craft each month. Exporting to Excel and using screenshots are short term solutions for one-off decks. By combining Tableau's analytical strength with PowerPoint's familiar presentation format, you enhance data accessibility and drive impactful decision-making.
