Line Charts: Customization Techniques Explained

And now we're going to talk about creating a better line chart. These are my PowerPoint instructions for creating a better line chart. The end result that we're looking for, let me press, let me come out of the chart and actually select the slide.

The end result we're looking for is something like this. This is something you're not going to be able to do with the default charts. You can't change the size of the high and low points of a line chart.

We're going to fake it. This looks like one chart. It's actually two charts.

So I'm going to go and start the process. There are some things that are going to be different doing this than what we did before. So let me go back here.

We're going to bring in subcategory. And for this particular chart, we'll bring in two profit measures. It's very important that you bring in the same measure, because to synchronize the points, you need to have the same values.

We're not going to do synchronized access with this. I'm going to create a new sheet and I'm going to rename it better line chart. And so I want to bring in a subcategory over into columns, and then I'm going to take profit and bring that into rows.

And here's another little trick. If you hold on to control, you can click and drag on profit and duplicate it just like that. Now I want to click the drop down here and choose entire view.

Now this doesn't look great, especially with this negative value down here at the end. So far, this is everything we did before, except that trick where I held on to control and dragged the extra pill without dragging it from here up there. I need to change the chart type for the first chart type.

I'm ahead of myself. I'm just doing the exercise, not actually going by the instructions. So I want to make the first chart a line chart.

So the one on top is the one that's going to be below. So I'm going to click the drop down here and choose line. I am vetoing the automatic chart selection.

I'm going to make the second a circle. If I go here, I can click the drop down here and choose circle. And that's what circle looks like.

We have the beginnings of what we're going to do. Then I'm going to go to the second field, which is going to overlay on top of the first one and choose dual access. So I'll click the drop down here and I'll choose dual access.

Now something I didn't point out, and this is a good opportunity to point this out while you're watching on video. I want you to notice that these pills have rounded corners. These pills have rounded corners.

These pills have rounded corners. I'm going to choose dual access. They don't have rounded corners on the inner parts now because they're joined.

And so that's something else to notice about a dual access chart. The rounded corners on the left and right sides in the middle are now like flat. So I chose entire view already.

I want to right click on the access and choose synchronize access. Because before I do that, you can sort of notice, you know, it's not exactly right on the point. It's a little bit lower.

For some reason, the values are a little off, even though I use the exact same values because I'm using the exact same fields. So you're going to right click on one of the access and choose the option to synchronize access. And that looks much better.

If someone were to just take a look at this in a presentation, they wouldn't know that you used two fields. They would think, I mean, two charts. They would just think this was one chart that you created and you made the high and low points a little bit bigger.

So I chose synchronize access. You can turn off one of the access. Maybe you don't need to see both of them.

So you can right click on one of them and choose to not display it. Let's see, show header. Now I don't see that anymore.

I can change the line chart size. If you started your graph, what's the button to undo again? Control Z or the button, the arrow that points to the right is undo. Wait, let's see.

You started your graph. What's button undo? Okay. Yeah.

Control Z always on the PC. What's the difference between dual and synchronize? So dual is one on top of another, but then synchronize is the numbers are the same. Let me undo this.

The highest value here is 50,000. And this is also 50,000, but this looks like 60,000 is being included. It's not being included here.

So the number is a little off. How come this doesn't have 60,000? Because it has less than 60,000. This one goes up to 60,000.

Or there's something where the numbers are not aligned. This 50,000 is not. When I right click here and choose synchronize access, I want this to synchronize with the one on the left.

So the numbers are exactly in the same spot. 60,000, 60,000, 50,000, 50,000, 40,000. The lines are directly across the lineup.

And that's what helps sell this look that you're working with one chart instead of two. You have some things that you can do once you hit the access. How do you get it back if you want? So yes.

So I'm going to go and right click and hide the access show header. So I want to bring it back. It depends on what the access is for.

I'm going to go over to the second profit and I'm going to click show header. Because this was the access that I hid. And I'll click that and I bring it back.

That's a very popular question. When you hide something, how do you bring it back? I surprise myself every time I remember. But when you live in the program for hours and hours, you'll know instantly.

Because you'll need to get work done and you're like, no, I don't have time to figure this out. I need to know where to hide things and bring things back. But that's a good question.

I'm not sure I knew the answer when you asked it. I probably went off intuition. Sometimes it's that way.

Something else that I could do here is I can customize the circle. What do you mean? Well, you could do something like I'll go to sum of profit too. And I have a circle.

I have options related to the circle. Let me take a look at which mark I'll need to go to. Color.

So, what could you do here that's special? Well, I can make the color of the circle white. What did you just do? That's a horrible idea. You just messed that up.

Boy, wait, hold on. I do have my reasons. This is not a good chart, Garfield.

I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't add the border yet. So, the border is set to automatic.

And for some reason, it's like there's no border. So, I'm gonna go over to the border and I'm gonna choose black. Oh, now I see what you're doing.

And so, you can create an effect that looks like this. If you want to. You don't have to.

You can also use shapes. Let's say I don't want to use circle, but I want to use shapes. I'll click down here and choose shape.

That's terrible. How is that any better? I know. I need to choose one.

So, I'll click shape here and then I'll see if I can find a shape that I like. Maybe I'll choose this one. Let me change the color.

Make it black. There we go. That's better.

So, is that it? Because I'm not impressed. Let me try this one. Nope, that doesn't look as good.

I'll go here. Well, if you go to more shapes, you can take a look at other shapes that are available. If you have the paid version, you will have many more shapes to choose from.

What if you want your own custom shape? And I've done this before. Are there options to upload an image for this? Yes. So, you asked the right question.

And you asked a question I actually didn't know the answer for. There's not an option to upload an image. There's an option to add a folder where you can add your images.

And when you go to shapes, you can select images from here. You have to go to a special place on your computer. Isn't there a way just to make the circle mark show in the original graph? In Excel, it always allows you to add a marking for each data point on the graph.

Now, from what I understand, it's very limited. When you want to add, like, something to the mark, if you go to color, let's see. Normally, it would be oh, yeah, I have to go and choose line.

This is a regular line. If I go to color, this is all you have for markers. And it's just a shape, a little circle that's hardly noticeable.

It's in proportional with the size of the line. So, you can't really change this. So, anything I've heard from my fellow Tableau instructor who goes over this many times says there's nothing you really can do about this.

This is why you need to use a dual access chart and choose the circle, and then you have more options. Then you can practically do whatever you want. So, there is a way to add in your own image, like a PNG file.

We used an example, like, for Halloween, where we wanted each of the shapes here to be like a Halloween icon. You have to go to a special place. I think I have instructions for this.

Because I think this was popular enough for someone to mention. So, the shape allows you to choose a custom shape, pick from the shape mark. This is a better line chart.

How to add your own custom shapes. You're going to have to go to your documents folder, my Tableau repository, shapes. You're going to make a folder, and then you're going to add your images.

So, I'm going to do this now. And I'll try to do it quickly. So, we can move over to the next topic.

I'm going to go to documents, my Tableau repository, shapes, and then you got to make a folder. There's no folder here anyway. I know.

You got to make a folder. Well, where did other shapes come from? You just got to make a folder. I'm sorry.

If you had the paid version, you'd have a lot more icons. So, all right. I'm going to make a folder.

I'm going to call this my images. And then you'll add your image. PNGs work well.

There's a website called Ico. I think Ico. Let me just see if I can find it.

I forget the site that I used in the exam, used in a prior class. But I know if I go to icons, icons, this is a free site where you can get all types of icons. There will be PNG transparent icons.

You just search for whatever you want. I'm going to go over here. I'll type Garfield.

Let's see if they actually have. Yeah, I would think that's proprietary. Sorry, they didn't find any Garfield.

I'll type Halloween. Okay. So, there we go.

I'll choose this one. So, I'll choose a PNG. I don't want it too big.

Maybe I'll choose this one here. I'll download the PNG. So, there it is.

I'm going to go here and I'm going to open up the folder. Here's my PNG. I'm going to copy it.

And then I'm going to put it in the folder that I created called my images. That's in the Tableau repository. I don't like the name.

It's too long. So, I'm going to rename this. I'll call it pumpkin.

I'll press ENTER. It's done. All right.

So, now I'm ready to do my visualization for my annual Halloween, Friday the 13th. And instead of seeing these circles, I'd like to choose a shape from my custom images. I'll go over to shape.

Your company would never authorize this. I don't know why someone even asked that question. Do they really work at a company? They're just using Tableau for fun, right? No company is going to ask for this.

I'm going to go to more shapes. Where is it? I thought you said I have to click the dropdown here. Oh.

Reload shapes. There it is. I had to reload.

Sometimes you may actually have to even close the program and open it up again because it has to refresh and access that folder. Here's my images. Hey, there's my pumpkin.

I'm going to select that and I'll click okay. Yay. So, for our annual Halloween party, we tracked all the sales of our products over the course of the last few months and this is what we project.

And so, you do that. Let me see if I can actually bring profit here. Yep.

I can bring in profit as a label. Click label here. All right.

Cool. I'm going to take that out. So, that is a better line chart.

You can use a circle and then you can go beyond that and use a shape. You can do a circle with a border. You can even go in and add your own images.

You just have to know that you'll have to go to a special place in your document directory called My Tableau Repository Shapes. Make a folder. You have to make the folder and then add your shapes or images there and then you'll be able to use your own custom images.