You are spoiled for choice at the Data School since you are taught two data preparation softwares, Alteryx and Tableau Prep. As I near the end of my training, I chose to tackle a small Preppin' data task and solve it using both tools to compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of each. Furthermore, a skill cannot be learned unless it is practiced; conversely, use it or lose it.

Before I go into detail about the strengths and challenges I encountered with each software, I encourage that you read more about the challenge here and try it out with any data prep tool you have.

Strengths of Alteryx against Tableau Prep

1.      Easier to validate: When it comes to validation, Alteryx makes it simple to preview the table by simply adding the Browse tool to the workflow. Prep, on the other hand, has an excessive amount of information on the screen because each section is grouped together. In addition, the preview pane is hidden at the bottom of the screen by default, so we may need to drag it to the top to see the data. This may cause some confusion, as it did for me.

2.      Alteryx's Filter Tool: The filter tool in Alteryx separates data based on the user's condition, which may or may not be an advantage for some. The tool displays data in both true and false outputs, making it much easier for the user to determine if the condition has been met or not. In Prep, no additional tool is necessary to carry out the filter; nevertheless, there is no means to validate the excluded data.

3.     Output Data: In Alteryx, the prepped data may be exported into practically any format, including Tableau Hyper Extract, whereas in Prep, the options are restricted to Tableau Hyper Extract, Excel, and CSV.

Strengths of Tableau Prep against Alteryx

1.      Cleaner and more modern UI: When I initially opened Tableau prep, I was impressed by the UI, which appeared to be cleaner and more responsive. If you have used Tableau Desktop, you will see that the user interface is very similar. This makes it very simple for individuals who have only used Tableau Desktop to understand how Prep works, but Alteryx has a whole new UI that requires some time to navigate and experiment with, which can be intimidating given the number of tools available.

2.     Basic Cleaning: The cleaning step in Prep is one of my personal favourites. You can filter, create calculated fields, group values, split columns, select columns, sort, and more with only one tool. Cleaning data sets becomes easier and faster as a result of this. The changes pane on the left can also be used to track any changes made. To achieve the same result with Alteryx, additional tools would be required, which while simple to use, would result in an unnecessarily time-consuming and complex workflow.

3.      Tableau Desktop Preview: This tool is a godsend for Tableau enthusiasts like myself. The ultimate goal of data preparation is to make it 'Tableau friendly' so that it may be seen in the best possible way. This tool allows you to examine and visualise the data in Tableau Desktop, making it easy to make modifications before exporting the data. For the time being, Alteryx does not have such a function, and the only way to visualise it is to manually export the data or set up a live connection.

To summarise, both Alteryx and Tableau Prep have strengths and are useful in different ways. The former is more powerful, allowing users to build Apps, Macros, and export data in any format they want. When it comes to basic cleaning, the latter is faster, and it allows the user to visualise the data at any step in the workflow, making it easier to visualise the end result.