File Extensions in Tableau

.twb .twbx .tds .tdsx .tde/hyper .tbm .tps

1).twb

(Tableau Workbook)

Tableau workbook means it can be a combination of data, worksheets, dashboards, and stories.

In the tableau workbook, we save the file in .twb, which means the source file is not included in the file.

whenever we share the .twb file always we should share the source file otherwise user(whoever receives the file) can’t open it.

2).twbx

(Tableau Packaged Workbook)

In this, files will be saved in .twbx format. That means we are saving the file along with the source file(excel, CSV, text, Jason, SQL, etc).

*** This is a recommendable way to share or save the file in tableau ***

3).tds

Tableau Data Source

This file extension is related to the data sources.

It contains only connection information like username, file name, password, server name, database name, hostname, and port name and it doesn’t contain any actual data.

4).tdsx

Tableau Packaged Data Source

Along with all the connection information it contains the Actual data.

It’s all about managing the connections.

5).tde /hyper

Tableau Data Extract

In the lower version, it is called .tde, in newer versions post-2020 it is called hyper.

A subset of the Main Data is called Extract in tableau.

Always we can save the extract(a subset of the data) in the hyper format.

The extract file can only open with Tableau Desktop.

6).tbm

Tableau Bookmark

Bookmarks contain a single worksheet and are an easy way to quickly share your work.

If you want to save/share any file which is used quite frequently in the future, which is set to use repeatedly then we save/share the file in .tbm format.

We usually save custom charts(created by us not the default charts in tableau) in .tbm format .. ex: Gauge charts or speedometer charts

7).tps

Tableau Preferences

Only to create a custom color palette we use tableau preferences.

To create custom colors first we need to write HTML codes for the required colors and then save them in the .tps format.

Next restart the tableau desktop, then we can see the custom colors and use those colors in the charts.