How to Create Tableau Bubble Chart

Tableau Bubble Chart is used to display the data in circles. We can define each bubble using any of our Dimension members and size by Measure value.

Bubble charts in Tableau play a significant role while creating Maps. For instance, we can use bubbles on top of the Map to display the Sales by Postal code, etc. In this article, we will show how to Create a Tableau Bubble Chart using Custom SQL Query. So, visit Connecting Tableau to SQL Server article.

SELECT Geo.EnglishCountryRegionName, 
       Geo.StateProvinceName, 
       Geo.City, 
       Prod.EnglishProductName, 
       Prod.Color, 
       Fact.OrderQuantity, 
       Fact.TotalProductCost, 
       Fact.SalesAmount, 
       Fact.TaxAmt, 
       Fact.[Freight]
FROM DimProduct AS Prod 
   INNER JOIN FactInternetSales AS Fact 
      ON Prod.ProductKey = Fact.ProductKey 
   INNER JOIN DimSalesTerritory AS Terry 
      ON Terry.[SalesTerritoryKey] = Fact.[SalesTerritoryKey] 
   INNER JOIN DimGeography AS Geo 
      ON Geo.[SalesTerritoryKey] = Terry.[SalesTerritoryKey]

First Approach to Create Tableau Bubble Chart

In this example, we are going to create a Bubble Chart for State dimension against the Sales Amount size. First, Drag and Drop the State Dimension from Dimension Region to Text Field in Marks Shelf. From the below screenshot you can see the available State names in Tableau report

Next, Drag and Drop the Sales Amount from Measures Region to Size Field in Marks Shelf.

Once you drag them, the following screenshot will be displayed. By default, Tableau Desktop is displaying Tree Map

To change the Default TreeMap to Bubble Chart in Tableau, we have to change the default Automatic option in the Marks Shelf. Please expand the drop-down list and change the Automatic to Circle.

Once you changed, Bubble Chart will be displayed with State Name as Text filed and Sum of Sales Amount as the Bubble size. From the below screenshot, you can see that the Bubble Size of a California State is bigger than the remaining states because the Sales Amount is higher than other states.

Let us add the Sales Amount to the Text field as well. By this, we can see the State name along with the Sales Amount. To do this, Please drag the Sales Amount from Measures region to Text field present in Marks Shelf

Let us add color to our Tableau Bubble Chart. We can do it by dragging the Calculated field Profit to the Colors field in Marks Shelf.

Once you have done, the following screenshot will be displayed. The State name Bubble with Maximum Sales fills with Dark Green and Least Sales Amount with light green

Sort Tableau Bubble Chart

A bubble chart also allows us to sort the bubbles. So please click on the Sort by descending order button present in Tableau toolbar

You can see that our Bubble Chart is formatted in the descending order

Format Text in Bubble Chart

To format the Tableau bubble chart Data Labels, Please click on the Text field inside the Marks Shelf. After you click on it, the following window will be displayed. For now, we are doing basic formatting so, click on the … the button beside the text

Here, we added extra text Sales, Profit beside the < SUM(SalesAmount) > and < SUM(Profit) > and also changed the font style to Lucida Sans

See the Formatted Text inside our Tableau bubble chart

Second Approach to Create Bubble Chart

This method of creating a Tableau Bubble chart is very easy and straightforward. Please press and hold the control key and then select the Dimension (s), Measure(s) from the respective region and select the Bubble Chart from the Show Me window

Once you did, the desktop will create a bubble chart in Tableau.