How to Create Pareto Chart in Tableau

The Pareto Chart in Tableau is handy to visually check whether our Data is meeting Pareto rule or not (80 – 20 Percent). For example,

Whether 80 percent of our Profits are coming from 20 percent of Customers or not
Whether 80 percent of our sales are coming from 20 percent of Customers or not
Check whether 80 percent of our Profits are coming from 20 percent of Products or not
Or 80 percent of our sales are coming from 20 percent of Products. In all these scenarios, we can use Tableau Pareto Chart.

In this article, we will show you how to create a Pareto Chart in Tableau with an example. For this Tableau Pareto Chart demo, we are going to write the Custom SQL Query against the SQL Server Data Source. So, Please visit Connecting Tableau to SQL Server article to understand the configurations.

— Query for Pareto Chart in Tableau

SELECT Cust.FirstName + ' '+ Cust.LastName AS [Full Name], 
       Cust.YearlyIncome, 
       Cust.EnglishOccupation, 
       Fact.OrderQuantity, 
       Fact.TotalProductCost, 
       Fact.SalesAmount, 
       Fact.TaxAmt, 
       Fact.OrderDate
FROM FactInternetSales AS Fact 
   INNER JOIN
     DimCustomer AS Cust ON Fact.CustomerKey = Cust.CustomerKey

How to Create Pareto Chart in Tableau

In this Tableau Pareto chart example, we will check Whether 80 percent of our Sales are coming from 20 percent of Customers or not.

First, Drag and Drop the Customer’s Full Name from Dimension Region to Columns Shelf and Sales Amount Measures region to Rows Shelf, as shown below. By default, Tableau will generate the Bar Chart

Please Sort the generated bar chart into Descending Order using the Sales Amount

Next, Please click on the Sales Amount Measure from Row Shelf and select the Quick Table Calculation option and then select the Running Total to calculate the Running Total shown below

From the below screenshot, you can observe that we have successfully created the Pareto Chart in Tableau. However, we are unable to check whether 80 percent of our sales are coming from 20 percent of customers or not?

To achieve the same, we have to change the Sales Amount Axis from the Running Sum to Percentage of Total.

To do this, please click on the down arrow beside the Sales Amount measure and select the Edit table Calculation option

Once you choose the Edit table Calculation option, the following window will open.

Please change the Running along option from Table Across to Customer Full Name field. It calculates the running total based on customer name rather than table
Please checkmark the Perform Secondary Calculation on the result option, and select the secondary calculation Type as Percent of Total
Don’t forget to change the Summarize the values from option from Table Across to Customer Full Name field

Now we can identify 80 percent of sales, but again, we have to compare with 20 percent of our customers. To achieve the same, we have to change the axis names from customer name to percentage. To do this, let us create one calculated filed.

Right-click on the empty space present in the Measures Region. Now, Please select the Create Calculated Field option from the Context menu as shown below

Once you choose the Create Calculated Field option, a new window will open to write a Custom Expression.

For this Tableau Pareto chart example, we need the customer’s percentage. So please add the following expression

Now, Drag and drop the newly created calculated field (Customers Percentage) from Measures region to Columns Shelf. Next, Remove the existing Customer names from Columns Shelf and place it in the Level of Details filed present in Marks Shelf as shown below

Next, Please change the Marks type from Automatic to Line type. To do this, Please expand the drop-down list and change the Automatic to Line as shown below

Let us format the Axis labels to the percentage. Right-click on the Customers name Axis and select the Format option from the Context menu

We have done all the work to check whether 80 percent of sales are coming from 20 percent of our customers or not. From the below Tableau Pareto Chart screenshot, you can observe that it’s not 20 percent but 28 percent of our customers

Add Reference Lines to Pareto Chart in Tableau

If you want to add reference Line to Tableau Pareto chart, then follow this section.

In this, we are adding reference lines for 80 percent. Right-click on the Sales Amount Axis, and select the Add Reference Line option and change the value to constant 0.8 (which is technically 80 percent)

If you want to add reference Line for the 20 percent of Tableau Pareto chart, Right click on the Customers name Axis. And select the Add Reference Line option and change the value to constant 0.2 (which is technically 20 percent)

From the below screenshot you can observe that We successfully created our Tableau Pareto Chart