# Spatial Analytics Arrived in Tableau Prep #Tableau #TableauPrep #SpatialData

> 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:** 2026-03-03
- **Format:** Short · 1 min watch · transcript available
- **Topics:** Data prep, Data visualisation
- **Tools:** Alteryx; Tableau (prep, spatial)
- **Canonical:** https://just-tim.com/posts/spatial-analytics-arrived-in-tableau-prep-tableau-tableauprep-spatialdata
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02iKGdH2X_E

I walk through the arrival of spatial calculations and joins in Tableau Prep, covering the new functions now available natively and how they bring it closer to feature parity with Alteryx. I also highlight the new ability to hold points, lines and polygons in a single column.

## Key takeaways

- Tableau Prep now supports native spatial calculations and joins, closing a gap with Alteryx
- Spatial functions including MAKEPOINT, MAKELINE, BUFFER, DISTANCE, AREA, INTERSECTS, LENGTH and OUTLINE are all available
- Points, lines and polygons can now sit together in a single column rather than being split across separate columns
- You can configure spatial joins between two geometry data types to generate location points and regions of interest, mirroring Tableau Desktop

Watch the full video, read the transcript and use chapter deep-links on the page: https://just-tim.com/posts/spatial-analytics-arrived-in-tableau-prep-tableau-tableauprep-spatialdata

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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