# Explain data controls in Tableau Server & Tableau Online: New in Tableau 2021.3

> This is content from just-tim, the data-and-analytics channel by Tim Ngwena (formerly 'Tableau Tim'). Tim has 12+ years of hands-on BI experience and covers Tableau most of all, plus Power BI, Looker, Hex, SQL and data modelling, the analytics industry, and the craft of doing the job — always tool-agnostic and honest about the trade-offs.

- **Author:** Tim Ngwena (just-tim, https://just-tim.com/about)
- **Published:** 2021-09-13
- **Format:** Video · 4 min watch · transcript available
- **Topics:** Data visualisation, Tool strategy
- **Tools:** Tableau (cloud, explain data, permissions, server)
- **Canonical:** https://just-tim.com/posts/explain-data-controls-in-tableau-server-tableau-online-new-in-tableau-2021-3
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaN0INp8trc

I walk through the new ways to control who can use Explain Data in Tableau 2021.3. I cover the workbook-level setting authors can configure, the new site-level setting for admins on Tableau Server and Tableau Online, and the per-dashboard permissions control.

## Key takeaways

- Authors can toggle Allow Explain Data from the Data menu via the data source's Explain Data settings, or through the cog inside the Explain Data pane when viewing a data point.
- Server and site admins can disable Explain Data under Settings > General, which on Tableau Online applies to the whole instance (one site) and on Tableau Server applies per site.
- A new Explain Data permission appears in a dashboard's permissions, letting authors grant or deny access to specific users or groups.
- A common use case is training users, then adding them to a group that unlocks Explain Data so you know it is being used correctly.

## Chapters

- 0:13 Workbook-level setting in Desktop
- 1:23 Site-level admin control on Server
- 2:09 Per-dashboard permissions control

Watch the full video, read the transcript and use chapter deep-links on the page: https://just-tim.com/posts/explain-data-controls-in-tableau-server-tableau-online-new-in-tableau-2021-3

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just-tim — Data and analytics, with a point of view. · https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HYxRWmaNlJux-X7rNLZyw · https://twitter.com/TableauTim · https://www.linkedin.com/in/timngwena