Tableau Dual Axis Chart

What is Tableau Dual Axis Chart?

A dual axis chart in Tableau is helpful in visualizing relationships between measures with different scales. The Dual-axis charts are critical in comparing different features to see whether or not they are profitable. It enables users to analyze two or more distinct features in visualizations and take their insights from them.

Using Tableau Dual Axis Chart brings to the front the main feature you want to compare by changing colors and visualization types to enhance user readability, and so on. In Tableau, users are also able to customize axe ranges, among many other calculations.

In this example, the Sales feature has been duplicated twice and has been merged. Here, for one of the features, a line graph is chosen, and for the other, a circle graph is shown.

How to create a Dual Axis Chart in Tableau?

Follow these simple straps to create your very own Dual Axis charts in Tableau.

Step 1: In the Tableau Public, open a new workbook by clicking on “File”- “New.”

Create new worksheets and dashboards by selecting them at the bottom-left part of the application.

Step 2: Add a data source to your new workbook. Here, the Sample-superstore dataset is used.

Step 3: Create a new worksheet and start creating your graph.

Step 4: On the left, you can choose the features that you’ll use for the Tableau Dual axis Chart 3 measures.

Step 5: Select the Month of the Order date and the total sales made in these months. First, it will select YEAR(Order Date) by default.

Then, click on the ‘+’ buttons to show QUARTER and MONTH of the “Order Date” as shown.

After that, remove the YEAR and QUARTER components by right-clicking on them and selecting “Remove.”

With that, you get the MONTH(Order Date). Keeping the “Sales” feature in the rows, you get the graph as seen below.

Step 6: Drag and drop Profit to the other side of the axis, as shown below.

With that, the graph changes to show a Tableau Dual axis chart with three measures of visualization.

Here, both the profit and sales are color-coded.

Step 7: Additionally, you can right-click on any of the vertical axes and select “Synchronize axes” since the profit and sales ranges aren’t equal to prevent confusion.

With that, the final graph will look like this.

Examples

See some interesting examples and also the different ways in which you’re able to create interactive visualizations in Tableau using dual-axis methods.

Example #1

Consider an example where you want to visualize the sales and profit graphs for every city in the US. You can use the Sample Superstore dataset to do the same. Follow these simple steps to learn how to create a Tableau dual axis chart with overlapping bars and a line.

Step 1: Connect the Sample Superstore dataset to a new Tableau Workbook.

Step 2: Select Ship Mode and filter it so that only the values with “Same Day” are shown. It is done by dragging Ship Mode to the Filters option.

Step 3: Select “City” and place it in the “Columns” component.

Step 4: Select Profit and place it in the “Rows” component. Right-click on “Profit” and change the statistical measure to “Average.”

Step 5: Drag and drop “Sales” in the “Rows.” Similarly, select the Average of it as done for Profit.

Now, the axes look like this.

Step 6: Right-click on any of the features in the “Rows” component and select “Dual Axis.”

Now the graph changes as shown.

Step 7: Right-click on any of the vertical axes and click “Synchronise Axis.”

After synchronizing both the axes, you can see that both the axes have similar numbers.

Step 8: In the “Marks” tab, select “Sales” and change the visualization from “Line” to “Bar.”

With that, you have successfully created a Tableau dual axis chart with overlapping bars and a line.

Example #2

Suppose you want to compare the number of reviews and their accuracy for each Airbnb host in Austin, Texas. You can do so using the Tableau dual axis charts. This proves an excellent method on how to show the comparison of reviews to the users so that they can make informed decisions.

Step 1: In a new Tableau workbook, import the Airbnb dataset for Austin, Texas.

Step 2: Select the “Host Has Profile Picture” and place it in the “Filters” tab.

Select “True” in the filters. In this chart, only Airbnb hosts with profile pictures are considered.

Select “Host Since” and place it in the “Columns” component. Place “Number of Reviews Ltm” and “Review Score Accuracy” and set them as “Average” by right-clicking on the features.

Step 3: Select “Host Since” and place it in the “Columns” component. Place “Number of Reviews Ltm” and “Review Score Accuracy” and set them as “Average” by right-clicking on the features.

The graph looks like this now.

Step 4: Select any one of the features in the “Rows” component and, right-click and select “Dual Axis.”

The graph changes as shown.

Step 5: Synchronize the axes’ values to make them have a similar range.

Step 6: In the “Marks” tab, change the “Number of Reviews” visualization feature to “Area.”

It is the final graph.

Example #3

You can use Tableau to compare multiple fields. You can use a Tableau dual axis chart four measures or more by adding more measures to the axes, as shown in this example. Follow the example below to learn how to do so. Here, you can compare Profit, Sales, Quality, Discount and Ratio of Profits.

Step 1: Connect the Sample Superstore dataset to the new workbook.

Step 2: Select “Order Date” and place it in the columns. Right-click on the feature and select “Quarter.”

Step 3: Select “Sales” and place it in the “Rows” component.

Step 4: Drag and drop “Profit” on the same axis as that of sales.

The graph will rearrange itself, and both the features come under the “Measure Values” tab, with “Measure Values” being in the rows component.

Step 5: Add the feature “Quantity” to the “Measure Values” tab as shown.

The “Measure Names” filter comes by default. Ignore that since it has nothing to do with your chart. Now the graph looks like this.

Step 6: Set “Discount” on the “Rows” component.

Step 7: Create a new calculated field to find the Profit Ratio.

Step 8: Name the Calculated field and write the necessary calculation.

Step 9: Drag and drop the “Profit Ratio” to the left of Discount to create a “Dual Axis” with the feature “Discount.”

Step 10: Synchronize the axes of “Discount” and “Profit Ratio.”

Now, you’ve successfully created a Tableau dual axis chart with 4 measures and more visualization, as seen below.

Important Things To Note

• Ensure that each axis is clearly labeled so that viewers can easily understand what each axis represents.
• Dual-axis charts are most effective when comparing two measures that have different scales but are related, such as sales revenue and profit margin.
• If you want to accurately compare the two measures, synchronize the axes to ensure that they start from the same point.
• Dual-axis charts are not suitable for comparing measures that are unrelated or have different units of measurement.
• Be cautious when using different scales on each axis, as it can distort the visual representation of the data and potentially mislead viewers.
• Avoid overcomplicating your dual-axis chart with too many layers, lines, or additional elements that can distract from the main message.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to Tableau Dual Axis Chart. Here we explain how to create dual axis graph in tableau with examples & points to remember. You can learn more from the following articles –

• Tableau Donut Chart
• Tableau Pie Chart
• Tableau box and whisker plot