Tableau Charts Types

Tableau charts assist professionals working in the field of business intelligence and analytics to a great extent. The real-time information that these charts offer can be directly showcased with the help of an array of user-friendly and readily available charts.

Data from every corner surrounds the present age. With a splurge in the amount of data available, relevant questions are rising as well. Whether operating a massive organization or working individually, you can effortlessly find a graph or a chart showcasing the data you wish to see. 

Out of all the types available out there, you can also get your hands on tableau charts. If you are new to this type, this post highlights the meaning of tableau charts and their types.

 

Table Of Content

Why Charts or Graphs? 

Types of Tableau Charts

    1. Text Table
    2. HeatMap
    3. Pareto Chart
    4. Highlight Table
    5. Symbol Map
    6. Map
    7. Pie Chart
    8. Bar Chart
    9. Stacked Bar Chart
    10. Side-By-Side Bar Chart
    11. TreeMap
    12. Waterfall Chart
    13. Scatter Plot
    14. Side-By-Side Circles
    15. Line Graph
    16. Area Chart
    17. Dual Axis Combination
    18. Histogram
    19. Box and Whiskers Plot
    20. Gantt Chart
    21. Bullet Chart
    22. Stacked Bubble Chart

 

Why Charts or Graphs?

why tableau charts

Implementing data-oriented charts or graphs in your professional life can make result generation efficient for you. While charts are meant to represent an extensive set of information into diagrams, graphs, or tables, a graph displays mathematical relations between various data sets. 

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Tableau Charts List

Here are the different types of Tableau Charts / Tableau Graphs to make your Data Visually Effective and Interactive;

1. Text Table

A text Table is the most straightforward form of tableau chart that represents data in columns and rows. Also known as pivot tables, it places one dimension on the Rows and another on the Columns. 

How to Create a Text Table?

Follow these steps to create a text table:

  • Create a worksheet and give it a name as per your choice
  • Drag Subcategory into Rows
  • In Marks Card, there will be a text box, drag Profit into it
  • A text table will be created by default

Text Table Chart2. HeatMap

Another effective yet simple method to display data is by using HeatMaps. They showcase data in the form of colors. HeatMaps are curated in the tableau with the help of one or more dimensions and a measure. 

How to create a HeatMap?

Here are the steps that will help you create a HeatMap:

  • Create a new worksheet and give it a name
  • On your keyboard, hold the Control (CTRL) key and choose Sub-Category and Sales from the data pane
  • Now, click Show me in the top right corner
  • Choose HeatMap icon
  • In the Color box, drag Profit
  • Drag Regions in Columns

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3. Pareto Chart

The Pareto chart is meant for visually representing more significant situations. This chart type has a line and bar graph. The individual values are represented in descending order by bars, and the line represents the ascending cumulative total. The primary objective of this chart is to discover the contribution of members in a field. 

How to Create a Pareto Chart?

Here is how you can create a Pareto chart:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Drag Sub-Categories into Columns
  • Drag Profit into Rows
  • Right-click on the Sub-Category option and choose the Sort option from the drop-down list 
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Pareto Chart
  • A Sort Window will open up
  • Now, in the Sort order, choose the Descending option
  • Choose the Field option in the Sort by section and choose the field as Profit and select the Sum as aggregation
  • Click OK
Tableau Dialogue Box

On your screen, you will see something like the following:

Bargraph

  • Into Rows, drag Profit again
Dual Axis
  • Now, right-click on the newly added Profit and choose the Dual Axis option
  • You will then get a dotted graph
Dotted Graph
  • Now, the next step will be to visit the Marks Card
  • Choose SUM (Profit) for the marks card list
  • Now, click on the drop-down option and choose Bar as the chart type
Pareto Chart
  • Choose SUM (Profit) (2) from the given list and click on Line

Pareto Chart

  • The next step would be choosing SUM (Profit) on the right side of the rows
  • Now, right-click on the same and choose Add Table Calculation from the list
Tableau Dialogue Box
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  • It will then open a Primary Calculation Type
  • From the drop-down menu, choose Running Total 
  • Next, from the drop-down, choose Sum as Aggregation
  • Click on Compute Using Table
  • Check into the Add Secondary Calculation box
  • It will expand the window for Secondary Calculation Type
  • From the drop-down list, choose Percent of Total
  • Choose the Compute Using Table option

Tableau Calculations

  • Now, close the window and go to the last marks card - SUM (Profit)
  • Click the Color icon available in the marks card
Tableau Desktop Mark Card
  • Choose any color as per your preference. This will change the line’s color in the graph

Pareto Chart

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4. Highlight Table

The Highlight table is absolutely the same as the text table. However, the only difference between the two is that the data in the highlight table is showcased with the help of varying colors based on their categorical values. 

How to create a Highlight Table?

The steps below will help to create a Highlight Table.

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Click on the Show Me icon
  • Then, drag a category to Rows
  • Choose the Highlight table from the Show Me
  • Drag the next category to Color and another to Label

Highlight Table

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5. Symbol Map

The next one in the tableau chart is the symbol map. It is referred to as just another normal map that is used to showcase the geographical data with the help of latitudes and longitudes. The only difference here is that the area of the given coordinates is highlighted with a mark. 

How to Create a Symbol Map?

Here are the steps to create a symbol map:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Click on the Show Me tab
  • Choose a category + CTRL + another category
  • Visit the Show Me tab and choose Symbol Map
  • Now, drag a category to Color on the Marks Card and another category to Size

Symbol Map

 

6. Map

These are meant to visualize every type of location information, whether country name, state abbreviations, postal codes, or custom geocoding. The map is a geographical representation of the longitude and latitude coordinates where each coordinated pair is regarded as the continent, country, region, or state. 

How to Create a Map?

Here is how you can create a map:

  • Open a new worksheet
  • Double-click on State available under Dimensions in the Data Pane
  • Drag Sales to Size on the Marks card from Measure
Map in Tableau
  • Choose Maps and then Map Layers
Map Dailogue
  • In the pane of Map Layers, click the Style drop-down menu and choose Norma
  • Clear the Country/Region Names under Map Layers

Map Layers

7. Pie Chart

The Pie Chart is one of the straightforward, simplest, and easy to comprehend data in the tableau chart. It is ideal for adding details to visualizations. It effortlessly organizes your data in a pie form and divides the same into varying slices. And then, every slice has a diverse size on the basis of its data’s magnitude.

How to Create a Pie Chart?

Here is how you can create a pie chart:

  • Open a new worksheet
  • Choose Segment as well as Sales from the given data pane
  • Choose to Show Me in the top right corner
  • Choose Pie Chart

Pie Chart

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8. Bar Chart

Bar Charts are one of the standard methods of data visualization across all platforms. It is meant to represent the data in the form of bars. The bar length is proportional to the value of the variable. You can instantly highlight the difference between outliers, show trends, and categories. Also, you can reveal historical lows and highs at a glance. 

How to Create a Bar Chart?

To create a bar chart, follow these steps:

  • Open a new worksheet
  • Now, drag a category in a column
  • And then, drag Profit into rows
Bar Graph
  • A bar chart will now be created by default; however, if it doesn’t come up automatically, visit the Mars card and choose the Bar option

Mark Type

9. Stacked Bar Chart

A Stacked Bar Chart is the same as the bar chart mentioned above. However, in this tableau chart type, you will find segmented bars. Every bar here is representing a different value of a field on any of the axes. 

How to Create a Stacked Bar Chart?

Jotted down below are some steps to create a stacked bar chart:

  • Create worksheet
  • Hover your cursor over the Show Me tab
  • Now, choose a category + CTRL + a category
  • Visit the Show Me tab
  • Choose Stacked Bar Chart

Stacked Bar Chart

10. Side-By-Side Bar Chart

This one is another chart that is similar to the category of the bar chart. The only difference, however, is that in this chart type, you will find the alignment of bars in a side-by-side style. 

How to Create a Side-By-Side Bar Chart?

Here are a few steps to follow to create a side-by-side bar chart:

  • Create worksheet
  • Hover your cursor over the Show Me tab
  • Drag a category to Columns
  • Drag another category to Rows
  • Visit the Show Me tab
  • Choose the Side-by-Side Bar Chart option

11. TreeMap

A straightforward rectangular chart, TreeMap is representing data in nested rectangles. Here, the dimensions are defining the structure of rectangles. Moreover, this helps relate varying segments of the data to the whole of it. 

How to Create a TreeMap?

Here are the steps to create a TreeMap in tableau:

  • First, drag and drop the Profit measure twice to the Marks Card; once to the Size shelf, and then to the Color shelf
  • Next, drag and drop the Ship Mode dimension to the Label shelf
  • Select the TreeMap option as the chart type from Show Me
  • The following chart will appear on your screen

Tree Map

12. Waterfall Chart

Waterfall charts are a bit complicated in comparison to other illustrative charts. These are meant to display the cumulative effect of the sequential positive and negative values. Moreover, Waterfall charts show where a value is beginning, ending and how it is getting there incrementally. 

How to Create a Waterfall Chart?

Here are the steps to create a waterfall chart:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Now, on the green Profit Pill, right-click and choose Quick Table Calculation.
  • And then, choose Running Total
  • Change the Mark Type to Gantt Bar from Automatic
  • Now, create a Calculated Field, namely NegProfit or anything alike.
Waterfall Chart
  • Next, drag the NegProfit overSize in the Marks shelf 
Waterfall Chart
  • In the Marks card, drag Profit over to Color

13. Scatter Plot

Scatter plots effectively gain a sense of concentrations, trends, and outliers that facilitate profound investigations of the data. They are used to compare the measures. The significant aspects of the data are expressed with the help of the size, shape, and color of the scatter plot. 

How to Create a Scatter Plot?

Here is how you can create a scatter plot

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Then, drag Discount into Columns and Sales into Rows.
view
  • This way, you can create a scatter plot by default
  • Then, you can drag Sub-Category in the Color icon available in the Marks card
  • It will create a scatter plot as shown below:

Scatter Chart

14. Side-By-Side Circles

A variant of the circle view, the Side-By-Side Circles Chart, lets users include more measures that can be compared to one another for a profound analysis. 

How to Create a Side-by-Side Circle Chart?

Follow these steps to create a side-by-side circle chart 

  • Create worksheet
  • Hover your cursor over the Show Me tab
  • Drag a category to Columns
  • Drag another category to Rows
  • Visit the Show Me tab
  • Choose the Side-by-Side Circle Chart option

Side By Side Circle

15. Line Graph

Line Graphs, or Line Charts, are majorly used in combining individual points in a comprehensive sequence. It helps connect a variety of data points to display them as one consistent evolution. The result is a straightforward, simple way that visualizes changes in one value that is relative to another. 

How to Create a Line Graph?

Here are some ways to create a line graph:

  • Create a new Worksheet
  • Now, drag the Order Date into Columns
  • And then, drag Sales into Rows
Line Graph
  • A line graph will be created by default; if not, visit Marks Card and choose the Line option

Mark Type

16. Area Chart

This one helps represent quantitative data over a variety of periods. An area chart is almost the same as a line chart. What makes them stand apart is the partitions that are done on the basis of nations, regions, or categories in the area chart. 

How to Create an Area Chart?

Here are the steps to follow to create an area chart:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Now, hold the control (CTRL) key in your keyword and choose Order Date and Quantity. A complete based on
  • Then, click on Show Me at the top right corner.
Show ME
  • Choose the icon of the Area Chart. 
  • From the dimension pane, drag Region and add it to the Color icon of the Marks card.
Data Pane Region
  • An area chart will be created. 

Area Chart

17. Dual Axis Combination

Dual-axis combination charts are also known as combo charts. These are effective when it comes to displaying relevant information by combining views. Dual Axis Combination is generally used when visualizing two varying measures in two different types of charts. 

How to Create a Dual Axis Combination Chart?

Here are the steps to follow to create a dual-axis combination chart:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Now, hold the Control (CTRL) key on the keyword and choose Order date, Quantity,dual-axis, and Sales.
Dual Axis Datapane
  • In the top right corner, click on Show Me
  • Choose a dual combination icon

18. Histogram

With a histogram, you can figure out how the data is divided across varying groups. Although it is pretty similar to a bar chart, it groups the values that have consistent ranges. Every bar in the histogram represents the height of the values available in the range. It is an ideal option when it comes to visualizing how data will fall into categories.

How to Create a Histogram?

Here are some steps to follow when creating a histogram:

  • Open a new worksheet
  • Choose a Discount from the given measures
  • Click Show Me in the top right corner
Histogram Chart
  • Choose the icon of Histogram and it will appear as follow:

Histogram

19. Box and Whiskers Plot

Also known as boxplots, these are commonly used to show data distribution. Box and Whiskers  Plot offers a way of summing up the data as a set of data that can be evaluated on an interval scale. There is a box containing the data median and 1st and 3rd quartiles, and there are whiskers representing data within 1.5 times the interquartile range.

How to Create a Box and Whiskers Plot?

Here are the steps to create a box and whiskers plot:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Now, drag the dimension of the Segment into Columns
  • And then, drag the measure of Discount into Rows
  • Drag the dimension of Region to Columns and drop it into the right of the Segment
  • Click on Show Me in the toolbar and choose box-and-whisker plot 
  • Now, drag Region from the Marks card to the Columns again - towards the right of the Segment

Show Me

20. Gantt Chart

Gantt charts are built to illustrate the beginning and ending dates of steps in a project or a process. These are used to either visualize or discover the time duration for every activity or event. These charts make the interdependencies between tasks that visually illuminate the schedule of the workflow. 

How to Create a Gantt Chart?

Here are the steps to create a Gantt chart:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • In the Marks Card, hover your cursor on the drop-down button

Choose Gantt Bar from the available listDatapane

  • Now, drag the Order Date into Columns
  • On the Order Date, right-click and choose the Day
View
  • In the Menu, choose Analysis
  • Choose Create Calculated Field option from the list
  • Enter the name as Time for Shipment
  • Type in the formula as shown in the below image to create the difference between the Ship Date and the Order Date; click OK

Date Diff Calculated Field

  • Now, in the Rows, drag Ship Mode...right-click.
  • And, drag Time for Shipment into the size icon available in the Marks Card.

View

21. Bullet Chart

A bullet chart effectively compares a primary performance of a measure to one or more other measures. It shows the progress against an objective through comparison. At the core, it is just another variation of a bar chart. However, this one is curated to replace thermometers, meters, and dashboard gauges. 

How to Create a Bullet Chart?

Here is how you can create a bullet chart:

  • Create a new worksheet and then drag the Sub-Category dimension and drop it into the Column shelf
  • Next, drag the Profit measures and drop them into the Rows of shelf
Bullet Chart
  • Next, you can drag the Sales measure to the Marks Card
  • Choose the Bullet graph option from Show Me

Bullet Chart

22. Stacked Bubble Chart

With the help of this chart type, you can effortlessly add attractive details to scatter plots and maps. A Stacked Bubble Chart offers a method to display data in the form of a packed bubble. Here, every bubble comes with a varying size based on its variable’s magnitude. 

How to Create a Stacked Bubble Chart?

You can create a stacked bubble chart by following these steps:

  • Create a new worksheet
  • Now, from the keyword, hold the Control (CTRL) key
  • Click Sub-Category and Sales
  • Choose the Show Me option
  • Choose the Packed Bubbles icon, and a chart will appear on your screen, as shown below

Bubble Chart

Conclusion

Now that you have understood everything about tableau charts, it is time to integrate them into your workflow. If you are somebody who deals with data on a daily basis, these various tableau charts will help you out to a great extent. Now, without further ado, choose the chart type that matches your requirements, or experiment with all of them to continue ahead. 

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Last updated: 03 Apr 2023
About Author

Usha Sri Mendi is a Senior Content writer with more than three years of experience in writing for Mindmajix on various IT platforms such as Tableau, Linux, and Cloud Computing. She spends her precious time on researching various technologies, and startups. Reach out to her via LinkedIn and Twitter.

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