Tableau can be used for a multitude of reasons. Whether you are using it for critical business reporting or exploratory personal projects, efficiency is always an important part of building great visualizations. Here are 5 quick tricks that will help you become a faster developer in Tableau!
Trick 1: You can double click to edit an axis
Need to customize an axis range or format? Instead of navigating through the menu, just double-click directly on the axis in your view. This opens the axis editor instantly, letting you adjust scales, fix axis limits, or change number formatting in seconds.
Trick 2: You can drag fields into a calculation window
It can be difficult to create more complicated calculated fields and ensure that the numbers are accurate, but did you know there is an easy way around this? Just drag the pill (field) directly from the Data pane into the calculation editor. It’s faster, reduces errors, and keeps your workflow smooth.
Trick 3: You can instantly expand and contract hierarchies in a view
If you’ve built hierarchies (like Category > Sub-Category), you can quickly drill down without dragging new fields. Just click the small plus (+) sign next to the existing pill on the Rows or Columns shelf to expand to the next level. This also works for discrete date fields, as there is a default hierarchy built in! It’s perfect for exploring trends with a few clicks.
Trick 4: You can duplicate pills using Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac)
Need a copy of a field or worksheet? Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and drag a field or tab to create a duplicate instantly. It’s perfect for iterating quickly without rebuilding from scratch.
Trick 5: You can copy formatting across sheets
Want consistent formatting across worksheets? Right-click a tab, select “Copy Formatting,” then go to another worksheet, right-click, and choose “Paste Formatting.” This quickly applies fonts, colors, and axis settings—no need to recreate styles from scratch.
Tableau is full of little tricks like these! By mastering these 5 quick and easy strategies, you will start to notice yourself developing visualizations way faster and build more efficient calculations and views!