Clearly and Simply

Tag: calculated fields in tableau software

  • Site Catchment Analysis with Tableau 6

    Use Parameters and Table Calculations in Tableau 6 for a Site Catchment Analysis of Germany

    © R.-B. / pixelio.deFor a recent post called Calculated Fields in Tableau I used a site catchment analysis of Germany to explain how to use and take advantage of Calculated Fields in Tableau. The example posted back then was produced with Tableau 5.2.

    The main disadvantage of that workbook is the fact that you have to change a constant in a Calculated Field if you want to switch to another center location for the site analysis. Inconvenient and even impossible if you only have the Tableau Reader available.

    With version 6, available since November 10, 2010, Tableau introduced an extremely powerful new feature: Parameters. Parameters are user-defined constants that can be used in Calculated Fields. They can be entered by the user of the workbook either on worksheets or dashboards, are valid throughout the whole workbook (e.g. they are global) and can be used in any Calculated Field. Thus, it wasn’t far to seek that with parameters Tableau 6 would easily overcome the main drawback of the Tableau 5 site analysis workbook.

    Today’s post shows how to transform the site analysis workbook to Tableau 6 using parameters. As usual including the Tableau Public workbook for direct access and free download.

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  • Calculated Fields in Tableau

    How to create and use Calculated Fields in Tableau Software, illustrated with a show case of a site analysis for Germany

    © Kathrin Antrak / pixelio.de

    As soon as your data analyses and visualizations with Tableau Software become more complex, you will soon find that sometimes your data source does not include all the measures and dimensions you need.

    One of the most common examples is a data set including the measures revenues and costs, but lacking a profit field.

    This is where Tableau’s Calculated Fields come into play. This functionality enables you to add new fields based on dimensions and measures from your data source and/or based on other Calculated Fields.

    If you are interested in professional data analysis and visualizations using Tableau Software, you definitely won’t get out of using Calculated Fields sooner or later.

    Today’s post discusses the power of Tableau’s Calculated Fields, including a definition, a short how-to tutorial and a few additional tips. A show case of a site analysis for Germany illustrates the use of different types of Calculated Fields including the Tableau packaged workbook for free download. 

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