Data is the most powerful information we need to take in consideration when we want to analyze the company’s evolution. Data-based information transpose into exact numbers the results obtained over time, whether we are talking about sales, profitability or costs. On the other hand, data analysis offers the advantage of centralizing and visualizing in one place the entire process of the company’s activity and its evolution.
Organizations need technological advantages in order to track and evaluate how different implemented actions produce results. In most cases it is necessary to analyze the results generated and to measure company’s evolution over a longer period of time.
Highlight Past Dates from Tableau Software allows user to visualize and analyze different situations and results obtained over a period of time. The advantage offered by this type of chart is given by the fact that the user has the possibility to highlight specific time intervals. In this way the comparison between the current situation and the one of previous years becomes more visible and easier to follow.
By simply moving the mouse, the user visualizes and highlights the changes that have taken place over time, identifies upward or downward trends and collects information about company’s performance. Highlight Past Dates from Tableau underlines all the values obtained over a period of time and provides a complete picture of the company’s various results.
Below you can find a step by step guide which shows you how to create a Highlight Past Date analysis in Tableau Software:
→ In Tableau Desktop, connect to Superstore sample data provided by Tableau.
→ Create a new parameter named Order Date Parameter and select from the Data type area Date, for the Current value you have to select a date that will determines the two intervals, and from the Allowable values select All.
→ Now we have to create a new calculated field named Highlight Area Chart label with the formula:
IF (DATETRUNC(‘month’, [Order Date])) <= (DATETRUNC(‘month’, [Order Date Parameter]))
THEN [Sales]
ELSE null
END
→ Create another calculated field named Highlight Area Chart with the formula:
IF (DATETRUNC(‘month’, [Order Date])) <= (DATETRUNC(‘month’, [Order Date Parameter]))
THEN ‘Higlighted’
ELSE ‘Not Highlighted’
END
→ Drag the Order date on Columns and then right click on it and convert it into Continuous Month.
→ Drag the Sales on Rows.
→ Drag the Highlight Area Chart on Color in the Marks Area.
→ Drag the Highlight Area Chart label on Label in the Marks Area.
→ Change the visualization type to Area from the Marks.
→ Right click on the Order Date Parameter and select Show Parameter in order to change every time you want the reference date.
→ Rename this sheet Area chart.
→ Create a new sheet named Totals.
→ Drag the Sales on Text and then drag the Highlight Area Chart on Color in the Marks Area.
→ Create a Dashboard and name it Highlight Past Dates.
→ Drag a Vertical container and then a Blank on it.
→ Drag the Totals sheet and under it drag the Area Chart sheet.
→ Go to Dashboard -> Actions -> Add action -> Change Parameter. From the Source Sheets select only the Area chart, from the Run action on select Hover, from the Target Parameter select Order Date Parameter and from the Field select MONTH(Order Date). Then click OK.
By Adelina Popescu
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