Create a Tableau Scatter Plot

Tableau Scatter Plot is useful to visualize the relationship between any two sets of data. In this article, we will show you, How to Create a Scatter Plot in Tableau with an example.

For this, we are going to write the Custom SQL Query against the SQL Server Data Source. I suggest you to refer Connecting Tableau to SQL Server article to understand the configurations. The custom SQL query that we are going to use for this report is:

-- SQL Query to create a Scatter Plot in Tableau
SELECT Geo.EnglishCountryRegionName, 
       Geo.StateProvinceName, 
       Geo.City, 
       Geo.PostalCode, 
       Fact.OrderQuantity, 
       Fact.TotalProductCost, 
       Fact.SalesAmount, 
       Fact.TaxAmt, 
       Fact.OrderDate
FROM FactInternetSales AS Fact 
   INNER JOIN
     DimCustomer AS Cust ON Fact.CustomerKey = Cust.CustomerKey
   INNER JOIN
     DimGeography AS Geo ON Cust.GeographyKey = Geo.GeographyKey

Create a Tableau Scatter Plot

In this example, we are going to create a Scatter plot in Tableau. For this, first, drag and drop the Order Quantity from Measures Region to Rows Shelf and Sales Amount from Measures region to Columns Shelf.

Tableau intelligence will automatically select the scatter plot, and if it does not case then please select the Scatter plot option from the Show Me window as shown below

From the above screenshot, you can observe that it is showing the aggregated data. But, our requirement is to see the detailed information so, let me drag and drop the Postal Code from Dimensions Region to Details field present in Marks Shelf as shown below

Add Linear Progression to Scatter Plot in Tableau

In this example, we will show you, How to add the linear progression to the scatter plot. Tableau provides two different ways to add the linear progression.

First Approach: You can add the progression, or Trend lines using the Trend Line option available in the tableau. To access this option, Please navigate to Analytics tab as we shown below

Next, Drag and drop the Trend Line to Plotting area.

Second Approach: Right click on the Plotting area will open the context menu. Please select the Trend Lines, and click on the Show Trend Lines option.

Once you click on the Show Trend Lines option, Tableau will show the Trendline, along with the confidence bands.

By default, Tableau will add the confidence bands to the Trendline but you can alter these default setting as per your requirement. To do so, right click on the Plotting area and select the Trend Lines, and click on the Edit Trend Lines … option from the context menu.

This will open a new window called the Trend Lines Options. Here you can change the default Linear Model to Logarithmic, Exponential, Polynomial etc. In this example we will remove the Confidence bars and to do so, Please uncheck the Show Confidence bands option as we shown below.

This will remove the confidence bars

Remove Tableau Scatter Plot Trend Line

Right click on the Plotting area will open the context menu. Please select the Trend Lines, and uncheck the Show Trend Lines option from that context menu.

Add Colors to Tableau Scatter Plot

In this example, we will show you, How to add colours to the scatter plot. For this, drag and drop the English Country Region Name from Dimensions Region to Color field in Marks Shelf as shown below. It means each country has its own colour

Add Multiple Trend Lines to a Scatter Plot in Tableau

In this example, we will show you, How to add the trend line for each region in a scatter plot. Right click on the Plotting area will open the context menu. Please select the Trend Lines, and click on the Show Trend Lines option.

This will create the Trend Line for each country

Change the Size of a Tableau Scatter Plot

In this example, we will show you, How to change the size of a dot. For this, drag and drop the English Country Region Name from Dimensions Region to Size field in Marks Shelf as shown below. It means each country has its own size

Change the Shape of a ring in the Tableau Scatter Plot

In this example, we will show you, How to change the default ring shape. For this, click on the Shape field in Marks Shelf. This will open the available shapes, please select the shape as per your requirement

From the below screenshot you can observe that we change the default ring shape to star

Create Category wise Scatter Plot in Tableau

In this example, we will show you, How to create a scatter plot for each region. For this, drag and drop the English Country Region Name from Dimensions Region to Rows Shelf as shown below.

Add Labels to a Tableau Scatter Plot

This example shows How to add labels to each dot. For this, drag and drop the Order Quantity from Measures Region to Label field in Marks Shelf as shown below.

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