As a retail analyst, I was working with the marketing team to help identify which product categories were performing well in sales. We had the sales data in table format, but only using the raw data wasn’t enough to analyze the sales performance.
To visualize this data, I created a radial chart in Tableau to show the sales in segments distributed by category. Using the radial chart, we were able to analyse the product sales into High, Medium, and Low sales segments within each category.
In this tutorial, I will explain the Radial bar chart in Tableau and how we can use it to compare the data metrics.
What is a Radial Bar Chart in Tableau?
In Tableau, a radial bar chart is a circular version of a bar chart, where the bars extend outward from the center of a circle instead of being aligned along a straight axis.
Each bar represents a data category, and its length shows the value of the selected measure, such as sales or profit. The radial chart is useful for visualizing cyclical patterns, like sales trends across months, as it shows the repetitive time-based data.
Create a Radial Bar Chart in Tableau
In this example, we will create a radial bar chart to show the sales distribution across different product categories.
For this radial bar chart, connect the data with the Tableau superstore data and follow the steps below to create a radial chart in Tableau.
- To create the radial bar chart, we need to union the data for the selected data source.
In this example, we are using the Orders data from the Superstore dataset. To create a union, drag the Orders below the Orders. This will create a union table, Orders, and Orders1.
- Now, select a new sheet and view the duplicate data table by dragging the Table Name to the Rows. In the sheet, we can see the tables Orders and Orders1.
- Now, we need to create the calculated fields required for a radial bar chart. In the Data tab, click on the dropdown near the search bar and select Create Calculated Field.
After this, create the following calculative fields.
- Radial Points: To create the data points on the ring of the radial chart with a 270-degree circle.
IF CONTAINS([Table Name],"1")THEN 0 ELSE 270 END
Check out: Create a Map Chart in Tableau
- Radial Points (bin): To create this field, we will create a bin field using the above formula field, Radial Points. Now, click on the Radial Points and select Create > Bins. In the Edit Bins window, keep the Size of bins as one and click OK.
