Exploring and Analyzing Data37% of the exam
Crosstabs and highlight tables
How to show exact values in a text table (crosstab) and shade them in a highlight table: dimensions on Rows and Columns, a measure on Text or on Color with Square marks, and how a diverging palette and Use Full Color Range change the shading around zero.
Create basic charts: Create a bar chart; Create a line chart; Create a scatterplot; Create a map using geographic data; Create a combined axis chart; Create a dual axis chart; Create a stacked bar; Create a density map; Create a chart to show specific values (crosstab, highlight table).
~7 min read · 3 practice questions ·
What the exam expects
- Build a text table (crosstab) that prints exact values: one dimension on Rows, another on Columns, a measure on Text on the Marks card.
- Turn a table of dimensions into a highlight table: Square mark type and a measure on Color, so each cell is shaded by its value.
- Tell a highlight table from a heat map (a measure on Size as well) and from a density map (the Density mark for overlapping points).
- Decide whether to select Use Full Color Range on a diverging palette, given how the shading should behave on each side of zero.
- Show several measures in one text table with Measure Names and Measure Values.
Key terms:
- Text table (crosstab): a grid of row and column headers whose cells display numbers as Text marks; also called a cross-tab or pivot table.
- Highlight table: a text-table layout drawn with Square marks and a measure on Color, so cell color shows the value.
- Heat map: a highlight table whose box sizes are also set by a measure on Size.
- Diverging palette: a quantitative palette with two color ranges, one on each side of a center point.
- Use Full Color Range: an Edit Colors option that gives both ends of a diverging range full intensity.
Key facts
Text table build
- Detail
- One dimension on Rows, another on Columns, measure on Text
Automatic mark for dimensions only
- Detail
- Text, when dimensions are inner fields on both shelves
Crosstab from any view
- Detail
- Worksheet > Duplicate as Crosstab
Highlight table build
- Detail
- Dimensions on Rows and Columns, Square mark, measure on Color
Measure on Color in a text table
- Detail
- Tableau converts the marks to squares
Heat map
- Detail
- Highlight table plus a measure on Size
Second measure in a text table
- Detail
- Measure Values on Text, Measure Names on Rows
Mixed-sign continuous field on Color
- Detail
- Diverging palette by default
Use Full Color Range cleared
- Detail
- Intensity as if the range were symmetric around zero
Sources for this section (5)
- Build a Text Tablehelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Change the Type of Mark in the Viewhelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Build a Highlight Table or Heat Maphelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Measure Values and Measure Nameshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Color Palettes and Effectshelp.tableau.com (opens in a new tab)
- Why does a view with only dimensions on Rows and Columns show "Abc" in each cell?
- When does a highlight table become a heat map?
- What does Tableau add to a text table when you drop in a second measure?
- When should you select Use Full Color Range on a diverging palette?
The questions are free to read. Answers with their sources and self-grading are included with the pack.
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