Data Visualization

DSCI 5360

Managing Meta Data in Tableau

Dr. Vess L. Johnson

BLB 357C
(940) 369-7213
vess.johnson@unt.edu
 Managing Meta Data

 We have done some of this, but … –

 It is important to note that changes that we make in Tableau are not
written back to the original dataset
 Changes to the meta data are changes to the data connection – not
to the data source
 If you load data from a Tableau file, you may not be able to remove
hierarchies, aliases, or calculations.
 But, you can extend the meta data

 We will continue working with the Superstore dataset

 Hiding Fields

 Select the field that you

want to hide
 Use the pull down
 Select hide
 Showing hidden fields

 Click on the down

arrow to the right of
Dimensions
 Or, down arrow to
right of the search
keyin field
 Select Show Hidden
Fields
 Un-hiding

 Notice how “Country”

is faded out
 To unhide the field
 Select the pull down
 Select unhide
 Renaming Fields

 Click twice slowly

on a field name
 Type in the new
name that you want
to use
 Creating Hierarchy

 Drag Subordinate
fields on top of fields
 Then add other fields
in the position that is
appropriate
 This enables drill-
down
 Creating Folders

 Right click
 Select Group By
 Folder

 Notice that our

grouping by sheets has
gone away
 Now we can right click
again on any field and
select Folder -> Create
Folders
 Search Function

 You can always use the

search function – if you
have collapsed measures or
dimensions into folders
 Changing Data Type

 Click on the Data Type

icon in front of the name
and change it to another
type
 I changed the Row ID
from a number to a String
 Assign Default Colors

 Drag a Field Such as Segment to

Colors
 Click on Color
 Edit Colors
 Select the new colors you want to
use
 Now, these colors will be used
whenever you use Segment
 Changing Defaults on Measures

 Right Click on a Measure

 Select Default Properties
 You can add a comment – hovering over that
measure will display the comment
 You can change the default color scheme,
number format (e.g., percentage), aggregation
(e.g., from SUM to AVG), total using (e.g.,
SUM, MIN, MAX, etc.)
 Creating a Calculated Field

 Click on “down arrow” at top of the

Data Pane
 Select Create Calculated Field
 Name your field and insert the
calculation
 You can drag fields into the calculation
pane to make this easier.
 If you start typing a name, the tool will
autocomplete to help you select the right
name
QUESTIONS?