Web Authoring is the ability to add a new Data Sources and build new Workbooks directly from Tableau Server on the web. There are three main ways of opening the Web Authoring mode. 

This first way is with the feature we skipped on the Tableau Server toolbar: Edit. If you click on this button, Tableau opens the Web Authoring mode where you can modify your Workbook without leaving Tableau Server. It's a great way to fix small issues.

The second way is starting a new Workbook from a published Data Source. A Tableau Server User can use a published Data Source to create a new analysis without Tableau Desktop. You can find the options to create a new Workbook among the Data Source options (the three little dots next to its name), or from the Data Source page, as highlighted here:

When you start the Web Authoring mode from a Data Source, you won't be lost! The interface is almost identical to Tableau Desktop, with the Data pane on the left. You can create new Worksheets, new Dashboards, and Stories. Here's the start page for Web Authoring when doing a new analysis from a published Data Source:

The last way is to use the option to create a new Workbook on Tableau Server. You can find this button among the Create options in the new browsing experience: 

If you are using the traditional display mode, you can find this option on the Workbooks tab, as highlighted in this screenshot:

If you use this way, Tableau opens the Web Authoring mode and starts by asking you to connect to data. Since Tableau 2018.1, with a Creator license you can connect to files and servers directly from the web! There are four types of data connections available:

• File: Drag and drop an Excel file or CSV on the web page; you can choose the Sheets and build a new Data Source
• Connectors: A list of server-hosted databases available directly from Tableau Server
• On this site: Use an existing published Data Source
• Dashboard Starters: Start with prebuilt templates of cloud-based systems

Again, you won't be lost; all the different Workspaces are similar to Tableau Desktop.

Not all the functionalities of Tableau Desktop are available yet on the web, but it's getting closer and closer after each new version of Tableau Server. It is, however, an excellent way of allowing web users to create their analyses and train future Tableau Desktop users.

To finish this chapter, let's see how to build a Dashboard with specific Layouts for mobile.