Mastering Tableau Calculated Fields- A Comprehensive Guide to Effective Filtering Techniques

How to Filter in Calculated Field Tableau

Tableau is a powerful data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive and informative dashboards. One of its many features is the ability to filter data within calculated fields. Filtering in calculated fields can help users focus on specific subsets of data, making it easier to analyze and draw conclusions. In this article, we will discuss how to filter in calculated fields in Tableau and provide some practical examples to illustrate the process.

Firstly, it is important to understand the concept of calculated fields. A calculated field is a field that is created by using calculations in Tableau. These calculations can be as simple as adding two numbers or as complex as using multiple data sources and functions. Calculated fields can be used to create new dimensions, measures, or even to filter data.

To filter in a calculated field, you need to follow these steps:

1. Open your Tableau workbook and navigate to the worksheet where you want to create the calculated field.
2. Click on the “Analysis” tab in the menu bar and select “Create Calculated Field” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the new window that appears, give your calculated field a name and enter the calculation formula. For example, if you want to filter out data where a certain condition is met, you can use an IF statement in your formula.
4. Once you have entered the formula, click “OK” to create the calculated field.
5. To apply the filter, drag the calculated field onto the view or worksheet where you want to filter the data.
6. Right-click on the calculated field and select “Filter” from the context menu.
7. In the filter dialog box, you can specify the criteria for filtering the data. You can use operators such as equals, greater than, less than, and so on.
8. Click “Apply” to apply the filter to the calculated field.

Here’s an example to illustrate the process:

Suppose you have a sales dataset with a “Region” dimension and a “Sales” measure. You want to create a calculated field that filters out sales data for a specific region, such as “East.” To do this, follow these steps:

1. Create a new calculated field named “East Sales” with the following formula:
“`
IF [Region] = ‘East’ THEN [Sales] ELSE 0 END
“`
2. Drag the “East Sales” calculated field onto the view or worksheet.
3. Right-click on the “East Sales” field and select “Filter.”
4. In the filter dialog box, set the criteria to “East” for the “Region” field.
5. Click “Apply” to filter the data for the “East” region.

By following these steps, you can filter data within calculated fields in Tableau. This feature can be particularly useful when you want to focus on specific subsets of data or when you need to create custom calculations based on your data. With the right approach, filtering in calculated fields can help you gain deeper insights and make more informed decisions.