How to display 40 + columns in Tableau?

Question

I am trying to do a list report with about 40 columns(Dims+measure) but not able to get it right, the requirement pushes the Tableau limitation by exploiting its limit to only 16 columns.

How can I get this done?

I read this

Here is my Tableau workbook with 16+ columns but no column header

Answer 1

Go to Analysis-->Table Layout -->Advanced and change the number in Rows and Columns as per your need.

You can't add more than 16 to this, but increase it to 16 (for identification). So, save the Tableau file with extension .TWB. Then open this file in notepad.

Then search for the text: attr='row-levels'.

You will find something like:

<format attr='row-levels' value='16' />
          <format attr='row-horiz-levels' value='16' />

Change the value of 16 to desired column numbers. Save the notepad file. Open it in Tableau.

Answer 2

16 is the maximum limit for row/column labels in tableau table.

Answer 3

At the 2015 conference I went to a session called "Use Tableau Like a Sith" and they showed us how to change the XML to workaround the 16 limit. Caveat being this is not supported.

Find the entries in the attached image and change their value to 40. In the screenshot, the Sith presenters were changing them to 36.

Answer 4

Put 20 columns on one sheet and 20 one the other dashabord. Drag and drop both sheets on to your dashbaord, and you should be having 40 columsn.

Answer 5

There are Two ways:

1. Edit the saved .twb file and edit the Below xml code by opening the workbook with Notepad

     <format attr='row-levels' value='16' />
     <format attr='row-horiz-levels' value='16' />
   

2. Create 3 different worksheets each consisting multiple column but each worksheet consisting columns >16 and place them in single dashboard. So you will get one view with 40 columns.

Answer 6

A good way to do this is to create groups and filters. I'm sure, out of 40+ columns, a good number of them can be converted to either of the above, giving a neater look to your dashboard, making it easy to comprehend your data.

Let us assume you're creating a dashboard to show the overall split of mobile recharges for a company x.

One of the option is to have multiple columns; each for:

1. the mobile OS
2. OS version
3. service provider
4. recharge rank
5. Sub-category (Prepaid / Postpaid)

...

the easier and elegant way to reduce the number of columns is to populate a dropdown list with these values. Not only this will make the dashboard easier to comprehend, it will reduce the number of columns one has to refer to interpret the data and would also reduce the technical limitations imposed on the number of columns.

to create a group in Tableau:

1. include the fields in the result set i.e. use the column[s] in select statement.

select os, os_version, service_provider, rank, subcategory ... from schema.recharge_table [where...];

2. In the Sheets view of Tableau, right click on the field to create group. Let's create a split on subcategory.

3. Group the sub-categories, give them proper alias to be recognised easily.

4. Drag the Group to filter and you've successfully and elegantly reduced one column.