Ten Tiny Tableau Tips Pt. 3
Bringing to you ten more tiny tips and this time we’re tackling FORMATTING. Check out the full video on YouTube which has longer explanations of implementation and benefits if that’s the format that speaks to you (see what I did there?) or skim the blog for a quick run down (number 9 is an absolute must see). Either way, get ready for some fun-filled quick wins.
Bringing a single measure value onto text when you’re building out a table doesn’t automatically generate a column label. However an inline/ad hoc calc will do the trick. Just double click on the columns shelf and type the intended named wrapped in quotations marks.
Differentiating cells in a table helps with visibility. An easy way to do this would be to add borders to columns and rows but turning the cells into bar charts gives it a more modern look. It can also be the beginning of a heatmap by adding a field to color.
When putting bar chart labels inside the bar, there might not be a large enough bar for some values to accommodate the label which can cause an unsightly overhang. Utilizing a dual axis bar chart and creating separate labels for bars shorter than a certain threshold will ensure that regardless of the size, the full value can be clearly seen.
Default number formatting isn’t just for numbers! Add supplemental text that you want to accommodate the numbers. Not only will this ensure it’s there every time you use that value but it will eliminate the issue of that extra text not being applicable in all cases, as seen here. Check out the YouTube video for another use case where this is helpful.
In the previous tip, we showed the power of default number formatting. And it’s not unlikely that you’ll want similar formatting across multiple values. Holding shift while selecting adjacent fields in the data pane or ctrl (PC) / cmd (Mac) while selecting scattered ones will allow you to update the number formatting on multiple fields at the same time. This drives consistency as well as saves time!
The SIGN function is an underutilized and simple function that evaluates the direction of a number and returns an integer whether it’s positive (returns 1), negative (-1) , or even (0). It’s a great way to assess performance without a longer IF statement.
This tip comes from the BAN King himself Will Perkins; you can find his Tableau Public here.
Formatting KPIs is half the fun. If you want that standard bar on the end, adding a reference line is an easy and adjustable way to do it.
When I started using the classic MIN(0.0) trick, I would make adjustments to the placement by editing the axis. But fixing the axis and using a calc to edit where it falls makes it easier for reuse and updating across different spreadsheets at once.
HOT TIP ALERT
I cannot stress enough that this ones my favorite. When doing the performance part of a KPI, people often will make 3 versions of the calc doing the evaluating so that they can format the text to return differently when positive or negative. But if you’re using a transparent shape for your KPI, you can utilize match mark color in the font settings to format the color of the text without additional calculations.
It’s not uncommon to want to reuse a color across sheets in a way that’s not tied to the data. But you can still use a calculation to do it! Having a dummy calculated field like the one labeled ‘Color’ in this video will make updating colors easier. Some situations you may need that are the following:
replaced data sources loses color coding
you change your mind
branding changes
your stakeholder changes their mind
you’re reusing sheets
someone else changes their mind
So that’s the stuff about the things. See you in the next one!
For more tips, check out my last ten tiny Tableau tips blog