Recently, I was creating a sales report using Tableau. In this report, I needed a simple way to compare Sales, Profit, and Quantity across different product categories.
Using a bar chart, it was possible to show the trends, but I would like to display the data with the dimension name and measure values, similar to an Excel sheet.
In Tableau, we have a built-in Text table, also known as a Crosstab. In this text table, we can display the data in a headers and columns format similar to an Excel sheet. To enhance the table view, I also used a highlighted table to display sales values in color shades.
In this Tableau tutorial, I will explain how to create a table in Tableau using the Text Table feature, and then we will also use the highlighted table to color-code the table’s blocks.
Tables in Tableau
In Tableau, tables are the simplest way to view and display data in worksheets. They arrange information into rows and columns, making it easy to read exact values or compare them. In Tableau, we have two types of tables: Text Tables and Highlight Tables.
Text Tables: In Tableau, a text table is similar to an Excel sheet, displaying data in rows and columns with exact numbers. We can use the text tables when we have to display detailed figures, such as Sales, Profit, and Quantity by Category and Sub-Category.
Highlight Tables: The highlight tables are the enhanced version of the text tables. In this, a text table is displayed with added color. In this format, Tableau shades the cells in the table based on their values, like darker or brighter colors mean higher or lower values.
Create a Text Table in Tableau
In this example, we will use the Tableau Superstore dataset to create a text table that displays the values of Profit, Sales, and Quantity for the product Subcategory.
Connect the Tableau with the Superstore dataset, and follow the steps below to create a text table.
- Drag the dimensions, such as Category and Sub-Category, to the Rows.
- To show the measures Sales, Profit, and Quantity in the table, add the Measure Names to the Filters section. Then select the measures and click OK.
- To display the values of the selected measure names, drag the Measure values to the Text card in the Marks section.
- If the data is not displayed in the