How about the attached?

Lots of good stuff going on in this workbook. I would like to detail the concepts at play when I get the chance.

(side note: this is not exactly the same approach used in http://www.tableausoftware.com/support/forum/topic/top-n-everyone-else-other , this attached workbook is more robust in my opinion)

Here is the breakdown of what I did:

- a Set of the two dimensions at play

- a duplicate of the top level dimension

- five calculated fields (could be condensed to four)

- the most interesting stuff happening in "Display Value" and would need to be edited to fit your situation

- "Database" is the only other formula that needs to be edited to apply

- two parameters to control the display and calculation

- the compute using for all table calc pills is the Set

- the Set is ordered on the measure field

- the "In Top n" pill is ordered so True is above False

and that is about it.

There are all sorts of other things that can be done, eg if you wanted to add in sub-totals, but modifications would need to be made to accommodate.

here it is cleaned up, condensed to four calc fields. I noticed I had left an unnecessary calc in, and removed it.

> can i sum the averages of the 'other' category?

Yes, just change the formula for "Display Value" to:

IF [In Top n] OR [Show all Vendors]

 THEN AVG([Value])
ELSEIF INDEX()=[Select Top n]+1
THEN WINDOW_SUM(AVG([Value]),0,LAST())
END

I kind of stumbled across this... Amazing.  Very cool.  I'm busy trying to understand it.  thx Joe. 

One question, though--why do you need to duplicate the top level dimension?

Joe:  I've been trying to replicate your method, but for some reason I cannot see my 'Show all Vendors' parameter selection has no effect on what is displayed -- all line items are display all the time.  I took some sample data and rebuilt your worksheet step by step, several times now, with the same result.  If you or someone else care to look at it and if you notice where I messed up, I'd appreciate it.  thx (hopefully) D Lewis

Found the problem!  Thanks for looking at the thread, though!  d

Hi Joe:  In case you are still reading this thread, looking closely at your workbook I see that the 'x Others' line item does not correctly show the sum of the lines.  I don't understand the equations enough to troubleshoot it, though.  Also, do you by any chance understand why your bars show the values as data labels as a default.  I cannot get them to show up on my version unless I place the 'display value' pill on the label shelf.  Just curious.

Also, in my version (as best I can tell it is a xerox copy of yours, with different data underneath) I do not get a bar generated for the 'x others' row.  Anyone have any thoughts as to why?  many thanks. d. lewis

The formula for "Display Value" is averaging the quantity, not performing a sum. Would you like a sum or some other aggregation?

also you need to set the compute using for Display Value to the set "SubCode - Type".

I use the Label context menu to "Show all labels", I also turned stack marks off to get the label in the correct spot.

Changes are made in the attached.

Thanks very much!  I hadn't noticed it was an 'AVG' calc.  !?  This is very cool, and I'm off trying to find ways to add it everywhere.  I just found the site with your video tutorials -- thanks for taking the time with them.  Regards, d. lewis

Excellently done.