replacing data source from Excel to csv in a functioning Tableau workbook

Question

I have a functioning Tableau chart using multiple data sources, one of them being an Excel file.

I now want to replace the Excel file with its equivalent csv (same content and structure). However, I can't seem to find the way to do it. Simply replacing the data source in Edit Data Source gives an "Unexpected Error" where the detail says "Illegal file type for Excel protocol" (not that unexpected error if you ask me).

Is there a way to do so without needing to rebuild the charts which use the fields from this data source?

Answer 1

Connect to the csv (extract if you will, I strongly recommend you do). Make sure all the fields in the csv has the same names of that in the Excel.

Now right click the excel data connection and choose replace data source. Now replace the excel data source by the csv one.

If there are calculated fields on the excel data source, I recommend you copy and paste on the csv (inside Tableau, after the connection)