What is filter?

In this blog, we will learn about the  the filters and different types of filters available in Tableau.

So, let's start...

Filters are used to send information to tableau that user wants to get the result one some custom parameters. This can be based on dimensions or measures.

There are 7 types of filters as mentioned below:

1) Extract Filters
2) Data Source Filters
3) Context Filters
4) Dimension Filters
5) Measure Filters
6) Action Filters
7) Table Calculation Filters.

Now, We will get familiar with all one by one.

1) Extract Filters : While using this filter you can filter out the data at the time of extraction. Below is the snapshot for the same to get this done as highlighted. In this, We have use Sample - Superstore data.

We have filter out the Furniture from Category dimension. Click on Edit  right side of Extract and you will have the window to create a extract filter. There are more options to filter out on the basis of Top rows and aggregation.

2) Data Source Filters : This filter works on Live Data Connection. When you select Add, extreme right of window. Below window will appear.

You can see there are already 3 dimensions. But, when you try to edit them you will see that all the values of the dimensions are used into dataset.

Now, we will try to enter new one for Order Date Year  = 2014. Refer the below snapshot for this.

3) Context Filters : This filter always applied before any other filter. To apply this refer the below snapshot. You just need to right click on  filter and select Add to Context. This filter can be use as URL parameter also as &state='Alabama'.

4) Dimension Filters : As name, this can be applied on dimensions. Just right click on it and select Show Filter and this will come in filter shelf. You can simply just drag and drop to filter shelf. Below snapshot you will get after this.

There are other tabs also you can filter out on other conditions also like dimension contains or begins with some specific string. Based on greater or less then measures and Top or Bottom. Below snapshot for the reference.

5) Measure Filters : This is an aggregated filter. While using this, it will ask you on what aggregation you want to filter out the data. Refer the snapshot. As you can see there are other range of filter. You can filter out the data on At least, At most or Null or Non-Null values.

6) Action Filters : Using this filter, you can pass information on Click or Mouse Over event from one sheet to other sheet. For example, You have two sheets one is showing Sales and other is showing Profit. So, you can easily filter out the data while selection of sheet one dimension.

7) Table Calculation Filters : Unlike Context filter, this will applied at last of all the filters applied. To get this done we have many functions like LOOKUP, WINDOW_FUNCTIONS etc.

There is one more filter Keep Only and Exclude. You can filter out the data as per your requirement.

Refer the link to download the sample workbook. What is Filter? In case of any question, please comment below.

Difference between IF and IIF?

Hello All,

This blog is related to most common question, what is the difference between IF and IIF? Read the below comments and you will have the exact information about this.


1) IF can't return Boolean whereas IIF can return Boolean also.

               IF 1=1 THEN TRUE ELSE FALSE END // This will give you error, cannot use Boolean type with IF expression.

IIF(1=1,TRUE,FALSE) // This will execute perfect.

2) IF is like a statement in syntax (IF test THEN '' ELSE '' END) where as IIF is like a function

 IIF(test,then,else,[unkown])

3) IF takes 3 values whereas IIF takes 4 parameters.

4) ELSEIF can be use with IF but there is no way to use ELSEIF with IIF.

Tableau Desktop References:

IF <expr> THEN <then> [ELSEIF <expr2> THEN <then2>...]

[ELSE <else>] END

Tests a series of expressions returning the <then> value for the first true <expr>.

Example: IF [Profit]>0 THEN 'Profitable' ELSEIF [Profit] = 0 THEN 'Breakeven' ELSE 'Loss' END

IIF(test, then, else, [unknown])

Checks whether a condition is met and returns one value if TRUE, another value if FALSE, and an optional third value or NULL if unknown.

Example: IIF([Profit]>0,'Profit','Loss').

If you have any question, please comment below.

Introduction - 2

Hello Friend,

Continued to my previous blog, here we are going to know more about some sub menu and create our first dashboard. I am going to tell you about most important menu i.e. Analysis & Server.  But, first let's start with our first dashboard.

1) Open workbook by clicking on tableau launcher.

2) Select Sample - Superstore from Saved Data Source below of below bar.

3) Drag all the fields use in snapshot into the view.

Note: There are some of are blue and some of are in green color. The blue color shows that it's a dimension and green color shows it's a measure. In some situation, if any of measure you want to as dimension, you just need to change it as discrete.

3) To show sum of sales on each bar, you just need to drag Sales measure over Label in Mark shelf. I have used the T icon on Tool Bar. This is the other way to get this done.

We can change this bar chart in any other view also, Like in my case, i have created two more duplicate sheet and changed the chart type as Pie and Bubble Chart from Show Me tab.

You will have a minimum requirement of  type of data shown below all the charts.

I have create one more sheet for line chart. I can't have this by just copy the Bar Chart. Because, minimum required data is one Date (Continuous) and one measure and date we don't have with bar chart.

Now, go to dashboard menu and click on new dashboard. You will have all the created sheet list on your left side sheets shelf. Just drag all the sheet over the dashboard.

Next Step is to have filters on dashboard. Go to Analysis then sub menu Filters and just click on filter which you want. The number of filters are same as you have opted on sheet. If you want more and drag and drop in to filter shelf.

After all this you will have the dashboard like below. Just you need to work on formats. This will be in my next blog. How to format the dashboard?

Analysis - Indeed all menus are important, but Totals is use most frequently. Using this sub menu, we will have all type of total. Total by columns, total by rows and sub totals.

Rest menus, you can use into your scenarios and comment below if you have any query. Like for filters, Marks etc.

Server - When we finish our workings and the workbook is ready to go live for user, We will publish the workbook on tableau server by clicking on Publish Workbook...

Enter server name and hit Connect.

Enter username and password.

Select Project name, enter workbook name, select the sheets which ever you want to publish on server and hit publish and you will have you dashboard on your server.

You can have the workbook by clicking on the link. Sample - Superstore

I hope this was exciting for you. We will be back with some other interesting blog. If you have any query, please comment below.

Introduction - 1

Hello All,

Welcome to my blog and hope you are doing well. In this blog, i will share all the real-time scenarios coming in any group of organisation.

But, before go into deep dive in those scenarios, i would like to first tell you about the basic component or element of tableau desktop. Why i want to tell this, because in my starting day, i was in some situation where i didn't know what to do and that it available in tableau just one click away.

So, lets start with that.

Tableau is BI (Business Intelligence) tool, provides data analytics into interactive form like Bar, Line, Pie charts and many other forms by connecting different sources of data.

1) Menu - This is the common menu, you will get in all the windows software.

2) Tool Bar - This bar is just below the Menu. Its just the icon form of sum of sub-menu.

3) Data/Analytics - Below of Tool Bar, on left side these tabs are there.

4) Dimensions - This shelf indicating all the level of data in the form of String, Boolean, Date, etc.

5) Measures - This shelf shows the facts of the data in the form of numeric.

6) Pages - This will have the information of pages included in Story.

7) Marks - This shelf shows all the options which needs to be view on charts.

8) Color - Using this we visualize the data into different colors on the basis of measures or
dimension.

9) Size - This will increase or decrease the size of charts.

10) Text - Text will show any of the information included on view as text on the same view.

11) Detail - This option this used to show some extra information of data.

12) Tooltip - Any information need to be show as popup, we can use tooltip.

13) Columns - Any data, if we want to see as in column.

14) Rows - Any data, if we want to see as in row.

15) Show Me - This option is on the right side of Tool Bar. Having the options to choose different type of charts.

16) Sheet - We will use this option sheet/worksheet for creating any type of visualization.

17) Dashboard - We will include all the sheets into one dashboard/workbook

18) Data Source - This option use to connect different sources of data.

19) Story - We can use this option, in case of story board visualization.

Now when you go to dashboard tab, we will have some more shelves

1) Device Preview - Since tableau 10, they are supporting for mobile also. So, we can see the preview of workbook as mobile/tab view.

2) Sheets - This shelf shows list of available sheets in workbook.

3) Objects -  All the available controls like container, images, text etc are available in this.

4) Tiled - This option is use to where we want to align the worksheets in order.

5) Floating - Floating option use in case we want to overlap any view.

6) Show dashboard title - By checking this, we will have a title for the dashboard.

In next post, we will learn about the more about the sub menus and Sample - superstore data and try to visualize some basic charts.

For any doubt and question, please comment below.