Explore and Analyze Data41% of the exam
Context filters, order of operations and filter scope
Trace Tableau's order of operations from extract filters to table calculation filters, use context filters to make Top N and FIXED results respect another filter, and choose the Apply to Worksheets scope or a cross-data-source relationship that makes one filter reach the right sheets.
Create and use filters: Apply filters to dimensions and measures; Configure filter settings including Top N, Bottom N, include, exclude, wildcard, and conditional; Add filters to context; Apply filters to multiple sheets and data sources.
~8 min read · 9 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Place extract, data source, context, dimension, measure and table calculation filters, FIXED and INCLUDE/EXCLUDE expressions and blending in Tableau's order of operations, and predict which ones a filter affects.
- Add a filter to context so a Top N, conditional or FIXED calculation computes on the filtered rows.
- Choose an Apply to Worksheets scope: Only This Worksheet, Selected Worksheets (including All on dashboard), All Using This Data Source or All Using Related Data Sources.
- Filter across data sources with mapped relationships, and know why a blend's secondary source cannot drive the filter.
- The Filter dialog tabs (General include/exclude, Wildcard, Condition, Top/Bottom N) and measure filters are taught in Dimension, measure and Top N filter settings; adding a first filter in the Desktop Foundations unit Dimension filters, filter cards and date filters.
Key terms:
- Order of operations: the query pipeline that fixes when each filter and calculation runs.
- Context filter: an independent filter that runs before other worksheet filters, which become dependent filters.
- Source field / target field: in a cross-data-source filter, the field you filter with and the related field that is actually filtered on another sheet.
- Primary data source: in a blend, the first source used in the view, which defines it.
Key facts
Default filter behaviour
- Detail
- All filters computed independently, each against all rows
Creating a context filter
- Detail
- Add to Context on an existing categorical filter
Context filters on the shelf
- Detail
- At the top, gray, cannot be rearranged
FIXED vs dimension filters
- Detail
- FIXED is computed before dimension filters, after context filters
After dimension filters
- Detail
- INCLUDE/EXCLUDE LOD and data blending, then measure filters
Last filter step
- Detail
- Table calculation filters
New filter scope
- Detail
- Current worksheet only, by default
Back to Only This Worksheet
- Detail
- Copies stay on other sheets, disconnected and local
All on dashboard
- Detail
- Button in Selected Worksheets from a dashboard filter card
Secondary data source
- Detail
- Cannot be filtered across in Tableau Desktop
Unmatched target values
- Detail
- Excluded from target sheets and filter cards
Blend primary source
- Detail
- First source used in the view; like a left join
Sources for this section (5)
- Use Context Filtershelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Tableau's Order of Operationshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Apply Filters to Multiple Worksheetshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Filter Data Across Multiple Data Sourceshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Blend Your Datahelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- How do context filters look on the Filters shelf?
- When is the latest date preset determined in the pipeline?
- What does Remove from Context do to a filter?
- Why does a blend behave like a left join?
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