# Running totals, differences and moving window calculations

*Tableau Data Analyst Study Guide · Explore and Analyze Data · Last updated October 29, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-data-analyst/explore-and-analyze-data/running-totals-differences-and-moving-window-calculations*

Apply quick table calculations to measures, then customize running totals (with secondary calculations), Difference and Percent Difference From (Relative to Previous, Next, First, Last), percent of total, moving calculations and WINDOW_ functions, and keep results intact by hiding rather than filtering.

- Certification: Salesforce Tableau Data Analyst
- Exam section: Explore and Analyze Data
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-data-analyst

**Official exam objective:**

> Create table calculations: Moving average and window average; Percent of total; Running total; Difference and percent of difference; Percentile; Index; Ranking; Apply quick table calculations; Customize table calculations.

## What the exam expects

- Apply a quick table calculation to a measure and know what the menu offers.
- Choose running total, moving calculation, percent of total or a difference type for a requirement, and set Relative to.
- Write RUNNING_SUM and WINDOW_ functions with the right offsets and Compute Using.
- Customize a running total with a secondary calculation, and hide rather than filter to keep results intact.
- Rank, index, percentile and addressing in depth are in Rank, index, percentile and table calculation addressing.

Key terms:
- **Table calculation:** a transformation computed on the values currently in the view.
- **Partition:** the group of marks a calculation runs within and restarts for.
- **Window:** the rows, as offsets from the current row, a WINDOW_ function uses.
- **Secondary calculation:** a second table calculation on top of a running total or moving calculation.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Quick table calculations | Only on measures in the view | [Quick Table Calculations](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_quick.htm) |
| Quick menu includes | Moving average, YTD total, Compound growth rate, Year over year growth, YTD growth and six others | [Quick Table Calculations](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_quick.htm) |
| Relative to default | Previous; options Previous, Next, First, Last | [Table Calculation Types](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_definebasic_runningtotal.htm) |
| Running Total aggregations | Sum, Average, Minimum, Maximum | [Table Calculation Types](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_definebasic_runningtotal.htm) |
| Secondary calculation | Available on Running Total and Moving Calculation | [Table Calculation Types](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_definebasic_runningtotal.htm) |
| WINDOW_ with no offsets | Uses the entire partition | [Table Calculation Functions](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/functions_functions_tablecalculation.htm) |
| Filtered-out data | Not considered by table calculations; hide instead | [Table Calculation Types](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_definebasic_runningtotal.htm) |
| FIXED vs dimension filter | FIXED is computed before dimension filters | [Tableau's Order of Operations](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/order_of_operations.htm) |

## Check yourself

- How does Percent From differ from Percent Difference From?
- Why is the first column of a Difference From view blank by default?
- Why doesn't WINDOW_SUM with no start and end give a cumulative value?
- Which aggregations can a Running Total use?

## Sources

- [Table Calculation Types](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_definebasic_runningtotal.htm)
- [Quick Table Calculations](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations_quick.htm)
- [Table Calculation Functions](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/functions_functions_tablecalculation.htm)
- [Transform Values with Table Calculations](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/calculations_tablecalculations.htm)
- [Tableau's Order of Operations](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/order_of_operations.htm)
- [Analytics Pane](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/environ_workspace_analytics_pane.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 10 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Data Analyst pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams