Workbook modes explained

Every workbook in Analyse data has three modes that control what you can do: View, Explore, and Edit. Each mode serves a different purpose, and your permissions determine which modes you can access.

View mode is for consuming published content. You're looking at the stable, published version of a workbook that others in your organisation can see.

In View mode, you can interact with controls to filter data, expand and collapse grouped rows, sort columns, and follow guided drill paths—but you cannot change the workbook's structure or add new elements. Think of it like reading a shared Excel file on a network drive: you can scroll through, drill down and filter, but you're not making changes that others will see.

Users with View Workbooks and Datasets permission can use View mode.

Explore mode gives you a personal space to analyse data without affecting what others see. When you enter Explore mode, you're working in your own private view where you can reshape the workbook to suit your needs.

In Explore mode, you can add new columns, create calculated fields, change chart types, add new charts, and drill down into any dimension. You have complete analytical flexibility to investigate your data however you need to.

Your changes are automatically saved as you work, but they remain visible only to you. Multiple people can explore the same workbook simultaneously, each in their own view, without affecting each other's work.

Users with Full Explore permission can access Explore mode.

Edit mode is where you build and modify workbooks. To enter Edit mode, click the green Edit button in the bottom right corner of the workbook. The interface changes to show the Add element bar and editor panel, giving you full control over the workbook's structure.

Changes you make in Edit mode are saved to a draft. This draft is private to you, so viewers continue to see the published version until you explicitly publish your changes.

You can save your work as a new workbook. Save to My Workbooks for personal drafts and private analyses, or to [Your Account Name] Workbooks to share with your team.

Users with Create and edit workbooks permission can access Edit mode.

The draft-and-publish workflow keeps your work-in-progress separate from what viewers see.

When you make changes in Edit mode, those changes are automatically saved to your draft. The draft acts as a staging area: you can refine your work, test different approaches, and make sure everything is right before making it visible.

When you're ready, click Publish to make your changes live. This updates the published version that all viewers see. You can continue editing after publishing—your new edits remain in draft until you publish again, so the live workbook stays stable while you work on improvements.

If you change your mind, you can discard the draft and return to the previously published version.

To learn your way around the workbook interface, see Navigating workbooks. For full details on what each permission unlocks, see Understanding permissions.