June | 2021 | Smoak Signals | Data Analytics Blog

Are you looking for the next viz to showcase on your Tableau Public page? In this video I will teach you a technique that spices up the humble stacked bar chart with dynamic totals (using Tableau Set Actions). We will build out the viz step by step with Superstore data.

This chart is powered by Tableau Superstore data which is a data set that is readily available on the internet and is packaged as the default data set with Tableau. As you select the three legend categories at the top of the visual, the stacked bar chart sections will appear or disappear. The totals will also automatically update based upon your selection.

How cool is that!!??

I have to give a shoutout to Dorian Banutoiu for originating this technique. A few years ago, Dorian used this technique in a Makeover Monday exercise and it recently caught my attention when I was checking out his Tableau Public page. I immediately attempted to reverse engineer the technique (which admittedly took some effort).

Because I wanted to enable everyone with Tableau and/or Tableau Public to duplicate the chart, I used Tableau Superstore data as my foundation. Make sure to give Dorian a Twitter follow at @canonicalizedco.

What’s In it for You?

By following along with the video, you will utilize multiple Tableau elements such as:

Dual axis charts
Sets
Set Actions
Table Calculations
Reference Lines
Filters
Placeholders (i.e., MIN(1))

Practice makes perfect so this will be a good opportunity for you to practice multiple Tableau elements with the creation of one visualization. You can click the links on the list above to see additional videos that cover respective areas.

Give Credit

If you do reproduce this visualization step by step or leverage the technique for your Tableau Public page or Linkedin Page, please link to this post or the YouTube video and place “Inspired by Dorian Banutoiu & Anthony Smoak” somewhere on the viz and post text.

Interact with the Finished Visualization

You can interact with the finished visualization on my Tableau Public page here:

https://tabsoft.co/3oNxq5Z