SLOPE CHARTS
So there is a new tradition in our company where we create a Christmas calendar that explains for each day in the Christmas period how to create a particular visualization in Tableau. I volunteered for a topic and my colleague gave me the task to explain what a slope chart is. So here we go:
What is a slope chart.
A slope chart is a line that is used to show the development between two points.
How is it used?
It is used to compare the developments of a particular thing, in two different period instances.
When is it used?
Used especially when you want to compare two different stages or timelines of a particular instance.
Used to show how different ranks have changed over time or vary between two categories
What are the advantages?
· Best used to communicate a story happening in two different timelines.
· Less cluttered than line charts
· Story is easily understood
· Best in showing crucial aspects of the business
· The details are not necessary to show.
How to build a slope chart?
Make sure you have two different instances that you want to compare your data with. Place the date variable to the filter shelf
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Then filter the date variable to the two points you want to compare, either in years, months, weeks, or days.
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Now place the date variable to the column shelf
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You can now add a numerical field to the row shelf e.g profit, sales or quantity
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Create a second chart as a dual axis with the same measures.
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On the second axis you can select circle on the marks card, so that the second axis just shows two circle points.
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Create a dual axis for both visualizations.
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Sychronize the axes
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You can now add a categorical variable to the details shelf and text shelf to show the difference within the durations
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· And there you have it, a method on how to create a slop chart.