Tableau Tips,Tricks,Best Practices – Sort/Filter

Tableau Blog Posts Series – Tips,Tricks,Best Practices

Blog five – Sort/Filter

• There are two ways to sort in Tableau:
• Specify the sort order in the dimension. This is the easiest approach, but you cannot sort by fields that include table calculations.
• Add a blue, discrete pill just left of the dimension you want to sort, which creates a new set of panes sorted from lowest to highest.
• Tableau cannot filter on a Discrete Measure if it is not a table calculation. You can change the Measure to Continuous, set it as a filter and then change it back to Discrete.
• When using data blending, it is not currently possible to sort primary fields based on blended calculated fields or fields from the secondary data source.
• Sorting by a table calc requires a second copy of the same table calc, this time as a discrete pill http://redheadedstepdata.io/master-tableau-concepts/
• Sort by calculated field http://vizwiz.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/sort-tip.html
• Use index/rank to filter (top N)/sort for each sub-category https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAZ3IAJEuCI
• Filter on table cals – not change the percentage of total when changing the filter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAZ3IAJEuCI
• Use Index()>=percentage*size() as filter to get top percentage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kkNrHXkEvs
• Compare Filter/Group/Set
  Filter: A dimension or measure that narrows the data shown in a view to focus on relevant information.
  Group: Simplifies large numbers of dimension members by combining them into higher-level categories.
  Set: A subset of your data that meets certain conditions based on existing dimensions. Sets can be used again and again throughout the workbook. Since sets become part of the metadata, any workbook connected through that Saved Data Source (or .tds file) can also utilize its functionality.
• Cascading quick filter http://www.theinformationlab.co.uk/2013/08/12/cascading-quick-filters-in-tableau/
• Duplicate data source to keep percentage total unchanged while filtering
  http://www.theinformationlab.co.uk/2013/01/14/maintaining-percent-of-total-whilst-filtering/
• Types of filters http://breaking-bi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/types-of-filters-in-tableau.html
• Anchor Date Filter http://www.interworks.com/blogs/iwbiteam/2012/05/21/creating-dynamic-anchor-date-relative-date-filter
• Advanced filter http://ugamarkj.blogspot.com/2014/09/complex-level-of-detail-filters-data14.html
• Dynamic sorting http://www.clearlyandsimply.com/clearly_and_simply/2011/11/dynamic-sorting-with-tableau.html
• Dynamic set and filter http://www.theinformationlab.co.uk/2014/06/12/dynamic-sets/
• Dynamic parameter http://thevizioneer.blogspot.com/2014/06/dynamic-parameters-sorta-hack.html
• Popping parameter http://www.theinformationlab.co.uk/2014/06/19/popping-parameters/
• Show all dates up to date http://vizwiz.blogspot.nl/2014/01/tableau-tip-showing-all-dates-on-date.html
• Quick filter selection status http://drawingwithnumbers.artisart.org/identifying-and-using-quick-filter-selection-status/
• Date filter First,Last,Lookup http://paintbynumbersblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/tableau-tip-end-of-time-series-based.html
• Filter by field from secondary data source – create a set in the secondary with the filter requirements, create a calculated field in the secondary as if [set name] then “true” else “false” end, drag the calculated field onto the filter shelf