Conditional Filter in Tableau

Conditional Filters in Tableau allow us to display data based on specific criteria or formulas. Unlike basic filters, conditional filters enable dynamic, rule-based filtering which is particularly useful when we want to highlight certain patterns, thresholds or calculations in our visualization.

Use of Conditional Filters

Conditional filters are useful because they:

• Allow us to filter data based on specific rules or thresholds.
• Enable dynamic filtering using formulas or calculations.
• Help highlight important insights by focusing on data that meets particular conditions.
• Provide more advanced control compared to simple manual or quick filters.

Steps to Apply a Conditional Filter

To apply a Conditional Filter in Tableau:

1. Open Tableau and connect to a dataset.
2. Drag and drop a sheet into the workspace and open a worksheet (e.g., Sheet1).
3. Build a visualization by dragging dimensions and measures into the view.
4. Add a filter by dragging a field to the Filters shelf.
5. Open the Conditional Filter window and Right-click the filter and select Edit Filter.
6. Navigate to the Condition tab.

Methods to Apply Conditional Filters

Here one can apply conditional filter either by using field value with a condition or by applying a formula to the values of one or multiple fields.

1. Applying By field

We can filter values based on a comparison with another field. For example:

• Display only records where Sales > 100,000.
• Show regions where Profit Ratio > 0.2.

To do so:

1. Select By Field in the Condition tab.
2. Choose the field, aggregation type (e.g., SUM, AVG) and condition (e.g., greater than, less than).
3. Click OK to apply the filter.

2. Applying By formula

We can filter data using custom formulas to create more advanced, rule-based filters. For example:

• Display only products where [Sales] / [Profit] > 2.
• Show customers with Total Orders > 5 and Region = "East".

To do so:

1. Select By Formula in the Condition tab.
2. Enter a formula using Tableau’s calculation syntax.
3. Click OK to apply the filter.

By using field-based or formula-based conditions, we can create precise visualizations tailored to specific business needs.