Tableau also makes it easy to export images of views, dashboards, and stories for use in documents, documentation, and even books like this one! Images may be exported as .png, .emf, .jpg, or .bmp. You may also copy an image to the clipboard to paste into other applications. You may also export the data as a cross-tab (Excel), .csv, or Access database (on PC).

To copy an image or export images or data, use the menu options for Worksheet, Dashboard, or Story.

We'll take a look at using Tableau Server, Tableau Online, and Tableau Public in detail shortly. For now, let's consider some of the exporting features available on these platforms. When interacting with a view on Tableau Server, Online, or Public, you will see a toolbar unless you don't have the required permissions or the toolbar has been specifically disabled by a Tableau Server administrator:

The Download option from the toolbar allows you to download an Image, Data, Crosstab (Excel), PDF, PowerPoint, or the Tableau Workbook. Images are exported in .png format, and render the dashboard in its current state. Exporting a .pdf document will give the user many options, including layout, scaling, and whether to print the current dashboard, all sheets in the workbook, or all sheets in the current dashboard.

Other options exist for exporting from Tableau Server:

• Tabcmd gives you the ability to export data, images, or documents in a wide variety of formats via the command line or scripts.
• REST API gives you the ability to programmatically export data, images, or documents in a wide variety of formats.
• You may append the extension to the URL of a view hosted on Tableau Server or Online to view or download in the format defined by the link. For example, appending .pdf so that the URL would be something like https://tableauserver/#/views/Dashboard/View.pdf would render the view as a PDF document in the browser.