How to create a Unit Chart in Tableau Software– Skill Pill Video

Unit Chart Tableau Software

For many of us, some of the analysis that can be created in Tableau Software may seem complicated or difficult to perform. As we have accustomed you every Friday through our Skill Pill article, we approach different types of analysis that can be built in order to visualize and explore data much easier. Tableau Software also includes a wide variety of analysis, from the easiest and fastest to build, to the most complex.

Considering the questions we have about our organization, all the graphs from Tableau provide answers through data. In today’s Skill Pill, we will focus on performing a new type of analysis, namely Unit Chart. Unit Chart is also known as Pictogram Chart as different images or icons can be used to represent the analyzed volumes of data.

Unit Chart

In order to provide a short definition of Unit Chart analysis, we could say that this is a type of chart used to represent quantities of data or measures by means of symbols. The symbols in the graph are displayed in proportion to the represented number of objects or things. Unit Chart is a useful alternative for Tableau users who want to visualize data in a simple and efficient way.

As we said, Unit Chart displays data as an icon. These icons are displayed in the graph in a single line or grid and represent several units, 1, 10 or 100. The icons in the Unit Chart provide more interactivity to the analysis and determine users to understand their data quickly and more easily. On the other hand, with the help of Unit Chart, users can display complex data or large amounts of data through the symbols or icons that they have chosen.

Next, we will show you how to create a Unit Chart:

Step 1: Connect to data

→ In Tableau Desktop, connect to Superstore sample data provided by Tableau.

Step 2: Create the visualization

→ Create a calculated field named Index with the formula:
INDEX()

→ Drag the Index on Columns and the State on Rows.

→ Drag the Market on filter and select from here an option, for example US.

→ Drag the Order Date on filter and select from here an option, from example 2016.

→ Create a calculated field named MIN(1) with the formula:
MIN(1)

→ Drag MIN(1) on color and the Product Name field on Detail.

→ Right click on Index from Columns and select Edit Table Calculation -> Specific Dimensions -> Product Name.

→ Change the visualization type from the Marks Area into Shape and select from here the Gender Shape -> Male.

→ Sort the data descending.

→ Now when you hover over you can see the products included in each state.

By Adelina Popescu

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