Tableau Box Plot

Tableau Box Plot is useful for graphically visualizing the numeric data group by specific data. Let us see how to Create a boxplot in Tableau with an example.

How to Create a Tableau Box Plot

In this example, we are going to create a boxplot in Tableau. First, drag and drop the Sales Amount from the Measures Region to Rows Shelf and Color from the Dimensions region to the Details field in Marks Shelf.

The Tableau intelligence automatically creates the Bar Chart, but we want to create a Box plot. So, please select the below-shown option from the Show Me window.

Single Bar

From the below screenshot, you can see the Tableau Box plot.

Tableau Box Plot 2

Video

Let me drag the English Country Region Name from Dimensions to Columns Shelf. It will create for each country.

Tableau Box Plot 3

You can hover over the mouse on the box plot to see the Median, Upper Quartile, Lower Quartile, and Whisker values.

Tooltip 4

Change Colors of a Tableau Box plot

We will show you how to change the colors of the rectangles. We have two different approaches to creating this.

First Approach: Please right-click on the rectangle and select the Edit.. option from the context menu.

Right-click and choose Edit

Once you select the Edit.. option, a new window called Edit Reference Line or Band will open to style the box plot.

Edit Reference Line, Band

Second Approach: Go to the Format menu and select the References Lines… will open the Format Reference Lines tab.

Select reference Lines under Format menu

Let me change the Fill color to the Red pallet.

Fill the boxes with Different Color

Next, we are changing the tableau box plot Border width and color.

Tableau Box Plot 9

Lastly, we are changing the Whiskers width and color

Edit Reference Lines

Change the Colors of the dots

This Tableau box and whisker plot example explain how to add color to the dots. For this, drag and drop the English Country Name from the Dimensions Region to the Color field in Marks Shelf, as shown below. It means each country has its own color.

Change Dot Colors of a Tableau Box Plot 11

Change the Size of a dot

In this example, we will show you how to change the size of the dots. For this, drag the Order Quantity from the Measures Region to Size field in Marks Shelf.

Change Tableau Box Plot Dot Size 12

Create Categorical Box Plots in Tableau

Here, we show how to create a boxplot for each color within a region. For this, drop the Color from the Dimensions Region to Columns Shelf.

By default, the box plot displays compressed horizontal lines (or dots). Because it is difficult to draw for aggregated data, let’s remove the aggregated measure by unchecking the Aggregate Measures available in Analysis Menu.

Aggregate Measures

Now you can see the box plot for each color present in a region.

Tableau Box Plot 14

Horizontal Tableau Box and Whisker plot

Change the default vertical into a horizontal boxplot by swapping rows and columns.

Show Rows and Columns

About Suresh

Suresh is the founder of TutorialGateway and a freelance software developer. He specialized in Designing and Developing Windows and Web applications. The experience he gained in Programming and BI integration, and reporting tools translates into this blog. You can find him on Facebook or Twitter.