Adding Data Refresh Time Stamp to a View in a Dashboard
Published: 25 Jan 2013 Last Modified Date: 16 Jun 2023
Question
Viewers of your dashboard often want to know the last time a dashboard data was refreshed. The ability to add a time stamp to a view in a dashboard to show when the extract was created or refreshed can be done, but the Data Update Time value depends on the type of connection:
Extract-based connections display the last time the extract was refreshed.
Live file-based and live database connections display the last time the data source was refreshed in Tableau.
When using data blending, the timestamp reflects the update time of the primary data source.
Note: The worksheet being used to display the data refresh time will display "Unknown Update Time" unless there is at least one dimension or measure in the view.
Environment
Tableau Desktop
Answer
Open the attached workbook to follow along with the steps outlined below or to view the solution.
Option 1: Add the time stamp to the top of the view in the title
Open the workbook that contains the dashboard in Tableau Desktop, and then navigate to the sheet for which you want to display the time of the last data refresh.
Select Worksheet > Show Title.
Double-click the title to open the Edit Title box.
In the Edit Title dialog box, select Insert > Data Update Time, and then click OK.
Add any field to the filter shelf and leave all selections blank and click OK.
Save the modifications.
Add sheet to dashboard.
Note: The worksheet being used to display the data refresh time will display "Unknown Update Time" unless there is at least one dimension or measure in the view.
Option 2: Add the time stamp to the bottom of the view
Open the workbook that contains the dashboard in Tableau Desktop, and then navigate to the sheet for which you want to display the time of the last data refresh.
Select Worksheet > Show Caption.
Double-click the caption.
In the Edit Caption dialog box, select Insert > Data Update Time, and then click OK.
Add any field to the filter shelf and leave all selections blank and click OK.
Save the modifications.
Add sheet to dashboard.
Right click the sheet and select Caption to show the update time.
These sheets can be sized in the dashboard to take up as much or as little space as necessary. They can also be set up as floating objects so that they do not resize the other sheets in the view. See the attached workbook for the examples.
To view these steps in action, see the video below:
Note: The video has no sound.
Additional Information
The Data Update Time value depends on the type of connection:
Extract-based connections display the last time the extract was refreshed.
Live file-based and live database connections display the last time the data source was refreshed in Tableau.
When using data blending, the timestamp reflects the update time of the primary data source.