# How to use Dynamic Parameters in Tableau 2020.1

> 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:** 2020-02-25
- **Format:** Video · 6 min watch · transcript available
- **Topics:** Data visualisation
- **Tools:** Tableau (parameters)
- **Canonical:** https://just-tim.com/posts/how-to-use-dynamic-parameters-in-tableau-2020-1
- **Watch:** https://www.youtu.be/YvhD7QPQ9ZE

I walk through the dynamic parameters feature added in Tableau 2020.1, comparing it against the old static behaviour in 2019.4. I show how to configure a parameter to refresh its list of values from a field whenever the workbook opens, so new data values appear automatically.

## Key takeaways

- In Tableau 2019.4 and earlier, parameter lists were static and had to be manually re-loaded from a field whenever the data source changed
- Tableau 2020.1 introduces a setting to refresh a parameter's value list 'on workbook open' using values from a chosen field
- To configure it, set the parameter to a fixed list, add from a field, then switch to the second option to update the list from that column on open
- As an author you must close and reopen the workbook to see the dynamic update, but for Tableau Server or Online users it refreshes every time they open the visualisation
- Dynamic parameters let new values flow in automatically as the underlying data source updates, removing manual maintenance

## Chapters

- 0:22 The old static parameter behaviour
- 1:20 Simulating a data source update
- 2:36 Manually refreshing the parameter list
- 3:02 Setting up dynamic parameters in 2020.1
- 4:24 Closing and reopening to see the change

Watch the full video, read the transcript and use chapter deep-links on the page: https://just-tim.com/posts/how-to-use-dynamic-parameters-in-tableau-2020-1

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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