Tableau is the fastest-growing platform for visual analytics available on the market. It allows users to simplify raw data into a format that’s easy to access and understand by those working at any level of an organization. Even non-technical Tableau users can create customized dashboards and worksheets with the help of this versatile tool. It’s relied on by teachers, students, Data Scientists, Data Analysts, executives, and business owners for their end-to-end analytics needs. For these reasons, Tableau is considered to be the leading analytics platform for business intelligence.
In 2003, Tableau was created as a way to improve analysis flow and use visualizations to make data more accessible. Currently, Tableau offers a complete and integrated platform for data analytics. Some of Tableau’s most remarkable features include its capacity for data blending, real-time analysis, and data collaboration. Because Tableau does not require programming skills or technical expertise to operate, users of all backgrounds can easily work with this software. It can be installed directly onto one’s hardware from a web download and be operational in just twenty minutes.
Users cite many benefits to working with Tableau for data analytics. This software:
- Performs well on mobile devices
- Can handle large amounts of data
- Is able to connect to multiple data sources
- Works with multiple scripting languages
- Has minimal hardware requirements/no need for a dedicated server
- Reduces network traffic
- Has a growing community and forum of dedicated users
What are Tableau Table Calculations?
Table calculations are an important component of working with Tableau. They are a special form of calculated field that is able to compute local data into Tableau, and also provide insights into what is currently being depicted in the visualization. Table calculations allow users to extrapolate from existing data to create new information, as well as to perform computations on their data. Calculations provide a means to execute complicated analyses and add fields to data sources.
Tableau calculations are especially helpful in situations such as:
- Segmenting data
- Calculating ratios
- Filtering results
- Aggregating data
- Converting data types of fields
- Categorizing data efficiently
This article will explore seven of Tableau’s most helpful table calculations, as well as instances in which these calculations are suited to the data at hand.
7 Helpful Tableau Table Calculations
Once basic calculations have been performed in Tableau, users are equipped with the necessary values on the data visualization. They can then move on to table calculations for even deeper data insights.
The following list illustrates some of the most helpful calculations that can be performed in Tableau:
- Running Total table calculations are one of the most popular calculation types in Tableau. They are used to find the cumulative total of a specific measure across a table. In order to calculate this value, Running Total calculations summarize values, averaging them, or even substituting all values with the highest or lowest value. This form of calculation is used in situations in which absolute sales values aren’t as important as discovering information such as a running total of sales for each year, in which the sales of the month are added to the sales of previous months.
- Difference From table calculations compute the difference between a current value and a different value in the table for each visualization mark. Difference From calculations are helpful when working with quantities of the same kind, such as the number of computers sold within the month of August.
- Moving calculations, or rolling calculations, perform aggregations across a specified number of values before/after the current value in order to discover the value for a mark in the view. Moving Calculations are especially helpful in situations in which Data Analysts need to smooth short-term data fluctuations in order to get the larger picture of trends that will occur in the long term. In instances such as when working with security data that can drastically fluctuate within a day, Moving Calculation makes it possible to establish a range of values to summarize by using an aggregation.
- Percent Different From table calculations are used when trying to find the difference between two values. This difference is displayed as a percentage of one or both values, comparing the new value to the old, or old to new. In order to determine the percentage of difference, the difference between the values is divided by their average. Percent Difference From calculations are used in a variety of situations, such as when studying how sales rates fluctuate between the years for each month.
- Secondary calculations can be incorporated into a Tableau table for those who are working with Running Total or Moving Calculation tables. This secondary table calculation can be added on top of the primary calculation. One example of incorporating secondary calculations into a Tableau table pertains to the sales sector. If your primary table calculation establishes the running total of car sales each month within each year, a secondary calculation can be added to show the percentage of difference year over year for each month, and how this value changes by year.
- Percent of Total table calculations are applicable in instances when a Data Analyst is tasked with calculating a given value as a percentage of all values within a partition. When it is preferable to view each product’s sales as a percentage of all sales for all products, Percent of Total table calculations come in handy.
- Weighted average calculations are especially useful in instances where larger averages are valued, such as when analyzing test scores in school districts. This kind of calculation also has applications when studying the average priority of orders across every product type and it is necessary to weigh that priority order by volume. In the latter example, higher-volume products would be given a higher priority score.
As the above list indicates, table calculations in Tableau play a crucial role in the data analytics process. Those who know how to perform Tableau table calculations have the power to transform basic data into actionable insights that can depict changes over time, compare averages, differences, or total values, or depict fluctuations in data.
Learn Tableau with Hands-On Classes
If you’re interested in learning how to create stunning and engaging data visualizations, maps, charts, and graphs, Noble Desktop’s Tableau classes are a great starting point. These small group classes are available in-person in NYC, as well as in the live online format. Tableau-focused courses teach students skills like how to spot the most optimal datasets to connect to, as well as how to analyze, filter, structure, and visually represent data.
In addition, a variety of live online Tableau courses are also currently available from top training providers. These interactive classes are taught in real-time and provide all learners with access to an instructor who is live and ready to provide feedback and answer questions. Courses are offered for novice Tableau users, as well as those with more advanced data visualization skills. Classes range from seven hours to five days in duration and cost $299- $2,199.
Those who are interested in finding nearby Tableau classes can use Noble’s Tableau Classes Near Me tool. This handy tool provides an easy way to locate and browse more than three dozen of the best Tableau classes currently offered in the in-person and live online formats so that all interested learners can find the course that works best for them.