0
0
Tableaubi_tool~5 mins

Bar charts (horizontal and vertical) in Tableau - Step-by-Step Guide

Choose your learning style9 modes available
Introduction
Bar charts help you compare values across categories using bars. You can show bars vertically or horizontally to make data easy to understand at a glance.
When you want to compare sales amounts for different products side by side.
When you need to show the number of customers by region clearly.
When you want to display survey results for multiple choices.
When you want to highlight the highest and lowest values in a dataset.
When you want to show progress toward goals across departments.
Steps
Step 1: Open your Tableau workbook
- Tableau Desktop start screen or existing workbook
Your data source and worksheet are ready for visualization
Step 2: Drag the dimension you want to categorize by
- Columns shelf for vertical bars or Rows shelf for horizontal bars
Tableau creates headers for each category on the axis
Step 3: Drag the measure you want to measure
- Rows shelf for vertical bars or Columns shelf for horizontal bars
Bars appear representing the measure values for each category
Step 4: Click the Show Me panel
- Right side of the Tableau interface
Available chart types appear, with bar chart options highlighted
Step 5: Select the vertical or horizontal bar chart icon
- Show Me panel
The chart updates to a clean bar chart in the chosen orientation
Step 6: Adjust colors or labels
- Marks card - Color or Label options
Bars change color or show values for easier reading
Step 7: Resize or format axes
- Right-click axis > Edit Axis
Axis titles and scales update to improve clarity
Before vs After
Before
Worksheet shows a table with product names and sales numbers in rows and columns
After
Worksheet shows vertical bars for each product with heights representing sales amounts
Settings Reference
Orientation
📍 Columns and Rows shelves
Controls whether bars go up/down or left/right
Default: Vertical bars
Show Me Chart Type
📍 Show Me panel
Quickly switch between bar chart styles
Default: Vertical Bar Chart
Color
📍 Marks card > Color
Enhances visual distinction between bars
Default: Single color
Labels
📍 Marks card > Label
Displays numeric values on bars for clarity
Default: Hide values
Common Mistakes
Placing the dimension and measure on the same shelf
This causes Tableau to create a text table instead of a bar chart
Place the dimension on Columns or Rows and the measure on the opposite shelf to create bars
Not selecting the bar chart type in Show Me
Tableau may default to a different chart type that is less clear
Always click the Show Me panel and choose the bar chart icon to ensure correct visualization
Summary
Bar charts compare values across categories using bars that can be vertical or horizontal.
Place dimensions and measures on opposite shelves to control bar orientation.
Use the Show Me panel to quickly select the bar chart type and customize colors and labels.