Tableau Server Test Procedure
Overview
When the Tableau server is upgraded, the Development environment is upgraded first so that content can be tested before changes are applied to Production.
The Development environment is used to validate that existing workbooks function correctly in the new version of Tableau before the Production environment is upgraded.
Environments
- Production: https://tableau.wisconsin.edu
Used for most work in the Staging, Templates, and UW–Madison Institutional Data folders. - Development: https://tableau-dev.wisconsin.edu
Used exclusively for testing upgrades and validating workbook compatibility.
Testing Requirements
Users with content in the UW–Madison Institutional Data folder should:
- Test their published workbooks in the Development environment after the upgrade.
- Confirm that dashboards, data sources, and functionality work as expected.
- Complete testing by the communicated due date.
If additional time is needed, notify DAPIR at bihelp-dapir@provost.wisc.edu.
Users without workbooks in the UW–Madison Institutional Data folder are not required to complete testing.
Testing Procedure
Test your content in the the UW–Madison Institutional Data project on https://tableau-dev.wisconsin.edu.
Potential Issues to Identify
When validating your workbooks, check for:
- Reduced or missing functionality
- Missing features
- Formatting changes
- Data mismatches or inconsistencies
Two ways to test
1. Browser Comparison (Tabbed View)
- Open https://tableau.wisconsin.edu (Production / current version) in one browser tab.
- Open https://tableau-dev.wisconsin.edu (Development / new version) in a second tab.
- Open the same workbook in both environments.
- Toggle between tabs and compare behavior and output.
- Investigate any differences in visuals, numbers, or layout.
- Test filters in both environments and confirm results match.
- Click through links and navigation paths on each dashboard.
- Verify that all expected content is present and nothing is missing.
2. Side-by-Side Comparison
- Open Production (https://tableau.wisconsin.edu) and Development (https://tableau-dev.wisconsin.edu) side-by-side.
- Compare dashboards directly for consistency.
- Test filters in both environments and validate matching results.
- Verify all links, navigation elements, and dashboard interactions.
- Confirm that all content renders correctly and no elements are missing.
How to Report Errors
If you encounter any issues during testing, email DAPIR at bihelp-dapir@provost.wisc.edu. Be sure to include a direct link to the affected workbook.
During the testing period, please do not take any action other than testing and reporting issues.
Due Date
Please review and test your assigned content by the due date provided in the notification email.
Next Steps
After the due date and when testing is completed, the Production Tableau server will be scheduled for upgrade to the new version. This timeline may be adjusted if testing identifies issues that need to be resolved prior to upgrading Production.
You will be notified when you are able to upgrade your Tableau Desktop version to match the new server version.
Suggested Test Cases
Use the following checklist as a guide when validating workbook functionality. Not all test cases will apply to every workbook; test as appropriate for your content.
You may also test additional functionality and share any findings or suggestions with DAPIR at bihelp-dapir@provost.wisc.edu.
| Area | What to Test |
|---|---|
| Colors |
|
| Fonts |
|
| Data |
|
| Tooltips |
|
| Images & Links |
|
| Filters |
|
| URLs |
|
| Publishing |
|
| Extracts |
|
| Start Page |
|