Tableau Filters Guide

Overview

Filtering is an important a part of analysing data. This text describes the numerous ways you’ll filter data from your view. It helps the visualization more effective and easy understanding. And, we can make view more reliable and compact.

With the use of filter, we can showcase different data sets in a single view and filters can be interlinked to one another. It also describes how you’ll display interactive filters within the view, and format filters within the view.

Data are often organized and simplified by using various techniques in Tableau. Mostly Data Source has huge number of data that’s why filter is used to get required data for the report. With single data set, we can prepare various report by applying different filters.

Good Tableau Filters for Tableau Data Analyst Certification

Filtering Order of Operations

Before you start filtering data in Tableau, it is vital to know the order within which Tableau executes filters in your workbook. Tableau performs actions on your view in a very specific order. This can be called the Order of Operations.

Filters are executed within the following order:

Extract filters
Data source filters
Context filters
Filters on dimensions (whether on the Filters shelf or in filter cards within the view)
Filters on measures (whether on the Filters shelf or in filter cards within the view)

Extract Filters:

Extract filters are wont to filter the extracted data from data source. This filter is employed provided that the user extracts the info from data source.

Once the document is connected to Tableau, you’ll be able to see the live and extract option within the top right corner of knowledge source tab.

Live Connection directly connects to a knowledge source. Extract connection extracts the information from data source and creates an area copy in Tableau repository.

The procedure for creating an extract filter is given as follows.

Step 1) After connecting the document into Tableau,

Click on “Extract” on Data Source Panel

Step 2) Next,

Click on the ‘Edit’ option placed close to Extract button.
It opens “Extract data” window. Click on ‘Add’ option present within the Window.

Step 3) “Add Filter” Window is receptive select the filter conditions. We can select any Dimensions or Measures.

Step 4) Click on ‘ok’. It will filter the data based on the selected fields and filter condition.

Data Source Filter:

A data source filter is employed to filter the info in data source level. It can restrict the records present within the data set. This filter is analogous to extract filter on securing the information. But data source filter and extract filter aren’t linked to every other. Data source filter works on both live and extracts connection.

If we are connecting live database with large volume of data, we can use Data Source filters to reduce the amount data.

The procedure to pick out data source filter is given as follows.

Step 1) Click on the ‘Add’ button placed on the highest right corner of the information source tab.

Step 2) It opens the ‘Edit Data Source Filters’ in the Data Source Panel.

Step 3) “Add Filter” Window is receptive select the filter conditions. We can select any Dimensions or Measures.

Step 4) Click on ‘ok’. It will filter the data based on the selected fields and filter condition.

Context Filter:

A Context filter is an independent filter, in which selected filter depends on the context filter. Only relative value passes to the context filter. All other filters employed within the worksheet works supported the choice of context filter. The functions of context filters are explained through an excel sheet.

From the dataset, it’s identified that ‘Category’ are often used as context filter because it can divide the dataset into major parts.

Once the filter is applied to the dataset, the next data are often obtained. When the category “Furniture” is chosen, the information available within the category is shown within the figure.

Other filters which can be applied within the sheet are visiting be hooked into the category filter. This can be often the fundamental function of using context filter.

Tableau creates a fast dataset in repository engine supported the context filter selection.

Once context filter is chosen, all other selections and filters rely upon the choice of specific context filter. it’ll create the temporary table or data set. It refreshes the table when context filter is modified.

Step 1) The dimension to be added as context filter must be added in filter section box as given within the image.

Step 2) Right click on the dimension added within the filter section and choose “Add to Context” option.

Step 3) Once the filter is chosen as a context filter, the colour of dimension box changes to grey colour. This grey colour box can be an indication of context filter.

Removing Context Filter:

Any context filter is usually changed back to normal filter by selecting the “Remove from Context” option which is accessible when right-clicking on the dimension.

The colour of dimension box also will change back to blue colour as a sign.

Advantages of Using Context Filters:

Improve Performance:

When context filter is employed in large data sources, it can improve the performance because it creates a quick lived dataset part supported the context filter selection.
The performance is effectively improved through the choice of major categorical context filters.

Dependent Filter Conditions:

Context filters could even be accustomed create dependent filter conditions supported the business requirement.
When the information source size is large, context filter could even be selected on the foremost category, and other relevant filters is executed

Dimension Filters:

When a dimension is employed to filter the information in a very worksheet, it’s called as Dimension filter.

It’s a non-aggregated filter where a dimension, group, sets and bin may be added. A dimension filter may be applied through the highest or bottom conditions, wildcard match and formula.

The members present in a very dimension will be included or excluded from the list using this filter.

Dimension filter may be shown in an exceedingly sheet or dashboard to vary the filter condition dynamically.

The method for adding a dimension because the filter is given as follows:

Select a dimension from the dimension list. Any Dimensions are chosen from the dimension list. Drag the dimension into ‘Filters’ box.
It opens the ‘Filter’ Window. Select the member from the list.
Click on OK.

Measure Filter:

A measure filter can filter the info supported the values present during a measure. The aggregated measure values will be utilized in measure filter to change the info.

A measure filter will be applied in a very worksheet by following the procedure:

Step 1)

Select a measure present within the Measures tab. during this example, ‘Sales’ is chosen. Drag the measure into ‘Filter’ box.
It opens a ‘Filter field’ window. Select any of the aggregation from the list. During this example, Sum is taken as aggregation type.
Click on ‘Next’ button.

Step 2) It opens a window where you would like to pick out the range of values. The opposite varieties of options present within the window are given as follows.

Select the range of values. you’ll be able to modify the upper and lower limit for the range of values.
Click on OK.

Range of values	Minimum and maximum range of measure value can be given and filtered.
At least	A minimum value of a measure is given to filter the data.
At most	A maximum value of a measure is given to filter the data.
Special	An option to select null or non-null values and filter the data.

Summary:

Tableau has features to arrange and simplify the information present within the data set.
Filter restricts the quantity of records present in data set supported given condition.
Various forms of filters employed in Tableau are extract filters, data source filters, context filters, dimension filters and measure filters.
Extract filters modify the information within the local copy of information set which is extracted from the info source.
Data source filters modify the info supported given condition. These filters can on both live and extract connection.
Context filter creates a short-lived table in Tableau engine and acts as a primary filter. All the opposite filters applied on a worksheet rely upon the Context filter.
When a dimension is employed to filter the info, it’s called as dimension filter. It can include or exclude the members present within the dimension.
When a measure is employed to filter the information, it’s called as measure filter. It can modify the information supported the comparison of measured value.
A quick or custom filter is employed to switch the filter condition dynamically.
User filters secure the row level data published in an exceedingly server.
Users can sort the fields present within the data set.
Groups will be building to group the members present in an exceedingly dimension.
Users can build hierarchy to point out the granularity level present within the dataset.
Sets will be created to pick or exclude one or more members from a field. a collection may be added as a separate dimension in Tableau.