Tableau Dual Axis is useful to compare Sales Amount data with total product cost or to compare Sales against profits etc. In this article, we will show you how to Create a Dual Axis chart in Tableau with an example.
For this Tableau dual axis report, we are going to use the Data Source we created in our previous article. So, please visit Data Labels in Tableau Reports article to understand the Tableau Data Source.
Tableau Dual Axis Chart Example
To create Tableau Dual Axis chart First, Drag and Drop the Color Group (Created in Tableau Grouping article) from Dimension Region to Column Shelf.
Next, Drag and Drop the Sales Amount from Measures Region to Rows Shelf. Because it is a Measure value, the Sales Amount will aggregate to default Sum. Once you drag them, following Chart report will be generated.
In this Tableau dual axis example, we want to compare SalesAmount against Total Product Cost. So, Drag and Drop one more measure value, i.e., Total Product Cost from Measures Region to Rows Shelf. Since it is a Measure value, the Total Cost will aggregate to default Sum.
Please assign Data Labels to the Chart by clicking the Abc label button present in Tableau toolbar
To create a tableau Dual Axis chart, Please select the Total Product Cost Axis. Next, right-click on it will open the context menu. From that, Please select the Tableau Dual Axis option.
Once you choose the Dual Axis option following screenshot will be displayed. From the below screenshot you can observe that We have Color Group in Horizontal Axis and Sales Amount, Total Product Cost in Vertical Axis (which are acting as Dual Axis)
Let us change the Mark type from Automatic to more meaningful. We can do this in two ways:
First, select the Sales Amount axis, and right-click on it will open the context menu. From that, Please select the Mark Type option and select the Bar Chart for now
Once you choose the Bar Chart, Bar chart will display for Sales Amount Data
The second method, Select the Total Prod Cost axis and then select the Line type from the Marks Shelf
We successfully created a Dual Axes Tableau chart. However, from the below screenshot, you can observe that For Red Color Total Product Cost value 4,696,177 is showing bigger than Sales Amount value 7,724,331. Because the Maximum Axis value of the Sales Amount is 9 million, whereas Total Product Cost is 5 million.
Tableau Synchronize Axis
If you have no problem, Leave as it is otherwise, Please select the Total Product Cost and select the Edit Axis.. option to synchronize dual Axis in Tableau
Once you choose the Edit Axis.. option, a new window will be opened to synchronize Axis in Tableau. Since our aggregated values of Sales Amount and Total Product Cost are the same. We can simply checkmark Synchronize dual axes option
Now, we got our Tableau Axis Synchronize final result
Synchronize Tableau Dual Axis chart
In this example, We just replaced the Sum of Total Product Cost with Count of Order Quantity.
Since our aggregated values of Sales Amount and Order Quantity are different, Synchronize dual axes option greyed out, as shown below. In these situations, we have to do it manually
To Synchronise Tableau dual axis chart, First select the Axis with the maximum value (Here, it is Sales Amount with 9 million). Edit the Axis option and select the Fixed option. Next, Please copy the End value from the End text box
Next, Change the Axis option to fixed for Order Quantity and replace the End value with the SalesAmount End value (earlier copied End value).
From the below Tableau Dual Axis screenshot, you can observe that Axis values of Sales and Count of Order Quantity are the same. Here the values of Order Quantity are minimal to display. But you can see the blue line in the bottom. Hope you understood the creation of Tableau Dual Axis and synchronize dual Axes values.
