Subject and Course Guides: Tableau: Tableau FAQs

FAQ Links

Visual Best Practices in Tableau
Here are some best practices for making good charts in Tableau.
Directly Labeling a Chart in Tableau
This webpage provides steps on how to directly label your bar or other type of filled in chart. The directly label a line chart, use the steps in the "Directly Labeling a Line Chart" section below.
Removing Gridlines and Borders in Tableau
By default, most chart types in Tableau come with axis lines, borders, and reference lines. Bet rid of these, unless you absolutely need them (e.g, horizontal gridlines in a line chart). SEE STEP 1 - LOSE THE LINES.
Removing an Axis in Tableau
Before you remove an axis, make sure the data range and spacing is setup how you like, then go ahead and remove the axis. SEE STEP 6 - LABELS BEAT AXES.
Remove Unnecessary Extra Headers in Tableau
Oftentimes, your title describes in enough detail what is being shown. So, you usually won't need headers (aka: field labels or axes' titles) that say things like Year, Percentage, or Race/Ethnicity. Here's how to remove field labels. SEE STEP 5 - HIDE FIELD LABELS FOR ROWS.
Coloring Your Data in Tableau
How to format the colors of a bar, line, or other chart in Tableau. If you want one category to stand out, color all the other categories one color, like grey, then color the category that you'd like to standout in a pop-out color.
Ordering Bars by Size in Tableau
This webpage provides instructions for how to sort data, including putting bars in order by size. (Only do this if the categories don't already have an order. Things like years or age groups should stay in order of that category, but things like sex and race/ethnicity can be sorted by size.)
Formatting Fonts in a Tableau Worksheet
For a view, you can specify the font, style, size, and color for either the pane text or header text, or both. This webpage tells you how.
Format Numbers in Tableau
Make your numbers easy to understand by rounding up big numbers or reducing the number of decimals for a variable if they don't make a difference in interpretation of your chart. Here's how.
Publishing to Tableau Public
Scroll down to the bottom and click to view VIDEO 20 to see instructions for how to publish to Tableau Public and how to get the HTML iframe Embed Code.

FAQ Answers

Directly Labeling a Line Chart

To directly label a line chart. Drag the variable that decides the lines to the Label box in the Marks area. For example, if you have a line for male and a line for female, you would drag Sex to the Label Box. If you have different age groups, you would drag Age Group to the Label Box.

Next, click the Label box, and select "Show Mark Labels" and choose "Most Recent." (see right image) You may have to click on the labels and move them on the chart if they are in a weird spot.

Adding a Reference Line (like Total or Average) to Your Chart

Perhaps you have your rates broken up by ethnic group or sex, but you want to also show the overall rate. Don't add another bar to your bar chart for the average or total, add a reference line! See the following PDF with steps.

More Info

Adding a Line for an Average

Embedding a Chart in Your Website

To embed your chart onto your website, you should drag the box onto your website that will allow you to input custom HTML code. The name for this box differs by website builder. See detailed instructions below.

NOTE FOR WIX WEBSITES: The guided setup (aka: Wix ADI) does not allow for embedding custom code. So, you will need to exit the guided setup and go to "Advanced Editor" when embedding your Tableau charts.

Steps for Embedding
This document provides step-by-step instructions for embedding Tableau Public charts into a website.

Removing Legends or Keys

To remove a legend, click on the downward-facing arrow in its top right corner. Then press “Hide Card.”