You can easily create a view that shows Key Progress Indicators (KPIs). To do this, you complete the following tasks:
- Create the base view with the fields you want to measure.
- Build a calculated field that establishes the figure from which you measure progress for the data you’re measuring.
- Use shapes that Tableau provides that are designed specifically for KPIs.
This example shows how to build a KPI view that shows a green check mark for any sales figure over $125,000, and a red X for any sales figure under $125,000.
Create the base view with the data you want to measure
Step 1
Open a new workbook and connect to the Superstore data source.
Step 2
From the Dimensions pane, drag Category to the Rows shelf and Region to the Columns shelf.
Step 3
From the Measures pane, drag Sales to Text on the Marks card.
Create a calculated field using the Sales figure
Step 1
Select Analysis > Create Calculated Field.
Step 2
In the Calculated Field dialog box, complete the following steps.
- For Name, type KPI.
- In the Formula box, build the following formula:
IF SUM ([Sales]) > 125000 THEN "Above Benchmark" ELSE "Below Benchmark" END
- Confirm that the status message indicates that the formula is valid, and then click OK.
Note: You can also write the formula the following, slightly more succinct format:
IF SUM([Sales]) > 125000 THEN "Above Benchmark", "Below Benchmark" )
Create the KPI view from the base view
Step 1
On the Marks card, from the drop-down list of views, select Shape.
Step 2
From the Measures pane, drag KPI to Shape.
Step 3
On the shape legend drop-down menu, select Edit Shape.
Step 4
In the Edit Shape dialog box, make the following selections:
- Under Select Shape Palette, select KPI.
- Under Select Data Item, select Above Benchmark, and then in the KPI palette, select the green check mark.
- Select Below Benchmark, and then select the red X.
- Click OK.
The shapes in the view show your selections. Now you just need to hide the text labels.
Step 5
On the Marks card, click Label, and in the drop-down control, clear the Show mark labels check box.
You can fine-tune how Tableau displays the mark labels by doing the following on the Label drop-down control:
- To show the label for just one mark, under Marks to Label click Highlighted, and then click the mark in the view.
- To show the labels for one or more marks, under Marks to Label click Selected, and then select the marks in the view.