2 Replies Latest reply on Oct 31, 2016 9:57 AM by Yuriy Fal

    Educational Brain Teaser: Multiple Side-by-Side bars in a Grand Total

    Jonathan Drummey
    Jonathan Drummey Ambassador Oct 31, 2016 7:57 AM

      This brainteaser is about getting multiple side-by-side bars inside a Grand Total so we can have everything in a single worksheet, as in this screenshot:

      Screen Shot 2016-10-31 at 10.31.53 AM.png

       

      The attached workbook has the original starter workbook that placed two worksheets together on a dashboard, the goal here is to get it all onto one sheet.

       

      Dashboard.png

       

      There are at least two single-worksheet solutions to this...the problem is drawn from Grand totals on a side-by-side bar chart, my post in there has one solution and mentions another (so don't peek unless you really want to!). One solution uses existing Tableau functionality without too much effort, the other is more of a hack.

       

      Jonathan

        • 1. Re: Educational Brain Teaser: Multiple Side-by-Side bars in a Grand Total
          Joshua Milligan
          Joshua Milligan Oct 31, 2016 8:31 AM (in response to Jonathan Drummey)

          Jonathan,

           

          If I had downloaded your workbook first, it might have taken me a bit longer, but because I tried to replicate what I saw with a brand new Superstore workbook first, I hit upon the solution right away.  Upon downloading your example, I saw the subtle complexity to the problem, but was able to use my original approach.

           

          As for the hack, the approach you mention is not what came to mind immediately.  Rather, I envisioned using the Union functionality to add a row or two for a "Grand Total" Category and then using some table calculations to sort things out.  Not a very viable solution for most real-world cases, but it would probably work well for a brain-teaser!  The hack you mentioned would probably be a bit more viable since it at least maintains the integrity of the data.

           

          Great brain-teaser!

           

          Joshua

          • 2. Re: Educational Brain Teaser: Multiple Side-by-Side bars in a Grand Total
            Yuriy Fal
            Yuriy Fal Ambassador Oct 31, 2016 9:57 AM (in response to Jonathan Drummey)

            Jonathan, thank you for the teaser.

             

            I could see your target view

            has bolder labels on top of the bars.

            An artefact or a clue?

             

            Hope my answer is not too hacky :-)

            The confirmation:

            gt_brainteaser_20161031_YF.png

             

            Yours,

            Yuri