Chapter 5. Table Calculations

Table calculations are one of the most powerful features in Tableau. They enable solutions that cannot be achieved in any other way (short of writing a custom application or complex custom SQL scripts!):

• Table calculations make it possible to use data that isn't structured well and still get quick results without waiting for someone to fix the data at the source
• They make it possible to compare and perform calculations on aggregate values across the rows of the resulting table
• They open incredible possibilities for analysis and creative approaches to solving problems

Table calculations range in complexity from incredibly easy to create (a couple of clicks) to extremely complex (requiring an understanding of addressing, partitioning, and data densification). In this chapter, we will start off simple and move toward complexity. The goal is to gain a solid foundation for creating and using table calculations, understanding how they work, and to see some examples of...