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Tableaubi_tool~15 mins

Area charts in Tableau - Real Business Scenario

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Scenario Mode
👤 Your Role: You are a sales analyst at a retail company.
📋 Request: Your manager wants to see how monthly sales revenue changes over the past year to identify trends and seasonal patterns.
📊 Data: You have a dataset with monthly sales revenue for the last 12 months, including columns for Month and Sales Revenue.
🎯 Deliverable: Create an area chart in Tableau that shows monthly sales revenue over time, highlighting trends clearly.
Progress0 / 6 steps
Sample Data
MonthSales Revenue
Jan12000
Feb15000
Mar13000
Apr17000
May16000
Jun18000
Jul20000
Aug22000
Sep21000
Oct23000
Nov25000
Dec27000
1
Step 1: Open Tableau and connect to the sales data source containing Month and Sales Revenue columns.
No formula needed; just connect the data source.
Expected Result
Data is loaded and visible in Tableau's Data pane.
2
Step 2: Drag the 'Month' field to the Columns shelf to set the horizontal axis.
Columns shelf: Month
Expected Result
Months appear in order along the horizontal axis.
3
Step 3: Drag the 'Sales Revenue' field to the Rows shelf to set the vertical axis.
Rows shelf: Sales Revenue (SUM aggregation)
Expected Result
Vertical axis shows sales revenue values; a line chart appears by default.
4
Step 4: Change the mark type from 'Automatic' or 'Line' to 'Area' in the Marks card.
Marks card: Select 'Area' from the dropdown menu.
Expected Result
The chart changes to an area chart showing filled area under the sales revenue line.
5
Step 5: Format the chart for clarity: add axis titles, adjust colors for good contrast, and ensure month order is chronological.
Use Format pane to add titles and adjust colors; verify Month field is sorted by date order.
Expected Result
Chart is clear, easy to read, with months in correct order and visually appealing colors.
6
Step 6: Add tooltips to show exact sales revenue when hovering over each month.
Ensure Tooltip is enabled and shows SUM(Sales Revenue).
Expected Result
Hovering over the area chart displays the exact sales revenue for that month.
Final Result
Month ->
Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec
|     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
|     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
|     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
|     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |
|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|  Sales Revenue

Area chart shows sales revenue increasing from Jan to Dec with some fluctuations.
✓Sales revenue generally increases over the year, peaking in December.
✓There is a noticeable dip in March and May compared to surrounding months.
✓The area chart visually highlights the growth trend and seasonal dips clearly.
Bonus Challenge

Add a comparison area chart showing last year's monthly sales revenue alongside this year's data.

Show Hint
Use a dual-axis area chart or create a combined field with Year and Month to differentiate the two years.

Practice

(1/5)
1. What is the main purpose of an area chart in Tableau?
easy
A. To show trends and the total amount by filling the area under a line
B. To display individual data points without connecting lines
C. To compare categories using bars of different lengths
D. To show relationships between two numerical variables using dots

Solution

  1. Step 1: Understand area chart basics

    An area chart fills the space under a line to emphasize the magnitude of values over time or categories.

  2. Step 2: Compare with other chart types

    Unlike scatter plots or bar charts, area charts focus on trends and totals by shading the area below the line.

  3. Final Answer:

    To show trends and the total amount by filling the area under a line -> Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Area chart = filled trend line [OK]
Hint: Area charts fill space under lines to show totals [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Confusing area charts with scatter plots
  • Thinking area charts only show individual points
  • Using area charts to compare unrelated categories
2. Which of the following is the correct way to create an area chart in Tableau?
easy
A. Drag a measure to Filters, a dimension to Pages, then select 'Line' mark type
B. Drag a dimension to Rows, a measure to Columns, then select 'Circle' mark type
C. Drag two measures to Rows and Columns, then select 'Bar' mark type
D. Drag a measure to Rows, a dimension to Columns, then select 'Area' mark type

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify correct field placement

    For area charts, a measure (numeric data) goes on Rows and a dimension (categories or time) on Columns.

  2. Step 2: Choose the correct mark type

    After placing fields, select the 'Area' mark type to fill the area under the line.

  3. Final Answer:

    Drag a measure to Rows, a dimension to Columns, then select 'Area' mark type -> Option D

  4. Quick Check:

    Measure + Dimension + Area mark = Area chart [OK]
Hint: Measure on Rows + Dimension on Columns + Area mark [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Using Circle or Bar mark types instead of Area
  • Placing dimensions on Rows instead of Columns
  • Not selecting the Area mark type after placing fields
3. Given a dataset with sales over months and product categories, what will happen if you create an area chart with Month on Columns, SUM(Sales) on Rows, and Category on Color?
medium
A. The chart will show stacked colored areas for each category over months
B. The chart will show separate lines without filled areas
C. The chart will show a single color area for total sales only
D. The chart will produce an error because color cannot be used here

Solution

  1. Step 1: Understand field roles in area chart

    Month on Columns creates the timeline, SUM(Sales) on Rows shows total sales, and Category on Color splits the area by product categories.

  2. Step 2: Visualize the result

    Each category's sales area stacks on top of others, showing contribution per month with different colors.

  3. Final Answer:

    The chart will show stacked colored areas for each category over months -> Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Color by category = stacked colored areas [OK]
Hint: Color splits area into stacked parts by group [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Expecting separate lines instead of stacked areas
  • Thinking color only changes line color, not area
  • Assuming color cannot be used with area charts
4. You created an area chart but the areas overlap and colors are not stacked. What is the most likely cause?
medium
A. The color field is missing or not assigned
B. The dimension is on Rows instead of Columns
C. The mark type is set to 'Line' instead of 'Area'
D. The measure is aggregated incorrectly

Solution

  1. Step 1: Check the mark type

    If the mark type is 'Line', the chart shows lines without filled areas, causing overlap and no stacking.

  2. Step 2: Confirm correct mark type for area chart

    Changing the mark type to 'Area' fills the space under the lines and stacks colors properly.

  3. Final Answer:

    The mark type is set to 'Line' instead of 'Area' -> Option C

  4. Quick Check:

    Line mark = no filled areas [OK]
Hint: Use 'Area' mark type to avoid overlapping lines [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Ignoring mark type and blaming data placement
  • Not assigning color field for stacking
  • Misunderstanding aggregation effects on area charts
5. You want to compare monthly sales trends for two regions using an area chart in Tableau. Which approach best highlights differences clearly?
hard
A. Place Region on Columns, Month on Rows, and SUM(Sales) on Size with 'Circle' mark type
B. Place Month on Columns, SUM(Sales) on Rows, and Region on Color with 'Area' mark type
C. Place Month on Rows, Region on Columns, and SUM(Sales) on Rows with 'Bar' mark type
D. Place SUM(Sales) on Columns, Month on Rows, and Region on Detail with 'Line' mark type

Solution

  1. Step 1: Set timeline and measure correctly

    Month on Columns creates the timeline axis, SUM(Sales) on Rows shows sales values.

  2. Step 2: Use Region on Color with Area mark

    Assigning Region to Color splits the area chart into colored stacked or overlapping areas per region, making differences visible.

  3. Final Answer:

    Place Month on Columns, SUM(Sales) on Rows, and Region on Color with 'Area' mark type -> Option B

  4. Quick Check:

    Color by region + Area mark = clear comparison [OK]
Hint: Use color for groups and area mark for trends [OK]
Common Mistakes:
  • Using Circle or Bar marks instead of Area
  • Placing Region on Columns instead of Color
  • Not using Month on Columns for timeline
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10 questions~5 mineasy hard