For this example, the data source used is Sample – Superstore data.
Creating the tableau dashboard below is broken down in to 4 main steps:
1 Creating the source sheet
2 Create the target sheet
3 Create dashboard and assign set
4 Add dashboard actions
(click on the image below to go to the example workbook)
1 Creating the source sheet
For the source sheet, Top 5 Sub-Categories by Sales has been considered.
- Drop Sub-Category on Rows
- Drop Sales in Columns
- Filter top 5 Sub-Categories by Sum of Sales
- Add Sum of Sales to Labels and left align
- Order the Sub-Category by descending Sum of Sales
2 Create the target sheet
Open a new sheet, monthly profit ratio for the Top 5 Sub-Categories by Sales has been considered.
- Apply the same filter which is in the source sheet (Top 5 Sub-Categories by Sales)
- Drop Order date on Columns and select Continuous Month
- Drop Profit ratio on rows (only one line will be seen at this moment)
- Next, drop Sub-Categories on Detail (now we see multiple lines, same as the below image)
3 Create dashboard and assign set
- Open a new Dashboard and drop both the sheets
- Right click on any of the bars from source file and select Create Set ( I have named the set Top 5 Subcategory by Sales)
- To link the target sheet to the Set, go back to the sheet and drop the set in colour.
- Also, change the subcategory in Detail shelf from Dimension to Attribute
- Create a new Calculated field to create dynamic label for the lines (I named it ‘Sub Category Label’). Formula reads, “IF [Top 5 Subcategory by Sales] then [Sub-Category] else “Other” END”
- Drop this new field on to Label, and Profit ratio on to label.
4 Add dashboard actions
If we go back to the Dashboard, we will notice the updates on the target sheet. However, there is no interactivity yet. So, to add a dashboard action, go to dashboard and select Actions.
Next, select on Add Action and Change Set Values.
- On the new pop up window, edit the name of the action (I named it ‘Subcategory Action’).
- Select the source sheet as the dashboard we are currently on and only check the source sheet (‘Sum of Sales’)
- Run action selected is ‘Select’
- Target Set is our main Data source and select our set we have created previously (‘Top 5 Subcategory by Sales’)
- Also selected is ‘Keep set values’ under ‘Clearing the selection will:’
