7 min read
Tableau Chart Types and Customization
Explore various chart types and customization options in Tableau
Common Chart Types
1. Bar Chart
Best for: Comparing categories
How to create:
- Drag Dimension to Columns
- Drag Measure to Rows
- Done!
2. Line Chart
Best for: Trends over time
How to create:
- Drag Date to Columns
- Drag Measure to Rows
- Select "Line" from Show Me
3. Pie Chart
Best for: Parts of a whole
How to create:
- Drag Dimension to Color
- Drag Measure to Angle
- Select "Pie" from Show Me
4. Scatter Plot
Best for: Relationship between two numbers
How to create:
- Drag Measure to Columns
- Drag another Measure to Rows
- Drag Dimension to Detail
5. Area Chart
Best for: Volume over time
How to create:
- Create a line chart
- Change mark type to "Area"
Show Me Panel
Click "Show Me" (top-right) to see all chart options. Tableau highlights which charts work with your data.
Chart Selection Guide
| Data Type | Best Chart |
|---|---|
| Categories comparison | Bar |
| Time trend | Line |
| Parts of whole | Pie |
| Two numbers relationship | Scatter |
| Geographic | Map |
Customizing Charts
Change Colors
- Click "Color" on Marks card
- Choose a color or palette
Add Labels
- Click "Label" on Marks card
- Check "Show mark labels"
Change Size
- Drag measure to "Size"
- Or click Size and adjust
Add Tooltips
- Click "Tooltip" on Marks card
- Edit the tooltip text
Formatting Options
Right-click chart:
- Format - Change fonts, lines, colors
- Edit Title - Change chart title
- Edit Axis - Change axis settings
Quick Tips
- Use bar charts for comparison
- Use line charts for time
- Avoid pie charts with many categories
- Keep it simple!
Summary
Start with bar and line charts. Use Show Me to explore options. Customize with colors, labels, and formatting!