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Salesforce · Data & Analytics · Entry

Salesforce Certified Tableau Desktop Foundations exam guide

Exam Salesforce Certified Tableau Desktop Foundations

Tableau Desktop Foundations (formerly Tableau Desktop Specialist) proves foundational skill in connecting to data, building charts, filtering and sharing dashboards in Tableau Desktop. It is low cost, never expires, and is the usual first step toward the Tableau Data Analyst certification.

Questions40 (+ up to 5 unscored)
Time limit70 minutes
Passing score48%
Exam fee$75 USD
Valid forSee official page
DeliveryProctored at a Pearson VUE test center or online proctored (registered through Trailhead Academy)

Format: Multiple choice and multiple select. Fee note: Retakes are free; plus applicable taxes. Unscored questions (up to 5) do not count toward the result.

Who it's for

New analysts, students and business users with about 3 months of hands-on Tableau Desktop use.

What the exam covers

Connecting to and Preparing Data23%
Exploring and Analyzing Data37%
Sharing Insights25%
Understanding Tableau Concepts15%

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None

Recommended: Foundational Tableau Desktop knowledge and at least 3 months applying it in the product.

Keeping it active

None. Salesforce Foundations-level certifications need no maintenance and do not expire once earned.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Creating live connections and extracts
  • Building relationships and joins in the data model
  • Creating basic charts, maps and tables
  • Sorting, grouping and filtering data
  • Adding reference lines, trend lines and totals
  • Building and formatting dashboards
  • Understanding dimensions vs measures and discrete vs continuous

Job roles

Data AnalystJunior BI AnalystReporting AnalystBusiness AnalystMarketing Analyst

Where it fits in your path

Take before

No prerequisite certification needed.

You are here

Salesforce Certified Tableau Desktop Foundations

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Install Tableau Desktop (trial) or Tableau Public; read the exam guide; work through the free Tableau eLearning or Trailhead Tableau basics.
  2. Week 2: Connect to Sample - Superstore; practice extracts, relationships vs joins, data types, aliases and hierarchies.
  3. Week 3: Build every basic chart type, apply filters (dimension, measure, context), sets, groups and reference lines.
  4. Week 4: Build and format two dashboards with actions; review discrete/continuous and aggregation concepts; take a practice test.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • Exploring and Analyzing Data is 37%; be fast at building charts from the Show Me panel and know what each requires.
  • Know the difference between blue (discrete) and green (continuous) pills and how it changes headers vs axes.
  • Understand the filter order of operations at a basic level (extract, data source, context, dimension, measure).
  • Know when Tableau creates a relationship vs a join and how that affects duplication.
  • Retakes are free, so book once you consistently pass practice tests.

Key terms for this exam

All 38 terms Study with thinQcards™

Frequently asked questions

How much does Tableau Desktop Foundations cost?

$75 USD plus applicable taxes, and retakes are free.

Does it expire?

No. Foundations certifications need no maintenance and do not expire.

Is it the same as Tableau Desktop Specialist?

Yes. Tableau Desktop Specialist was renamed Salesforce Certified Tableau Desktop Foundations.

What is the passing score?

48% on 40 scored questions in 70 minutes.

Is it worth it?

For entry-level analysts it is an inexpensive, permanent proof of Tableau skills and a good stepping stone to Tableau Data Analyst.

Official page: help.salesforce.com. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.