Dashboard sizing options in Tableau - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Dashboard sizing options in Tableau help you control how your dashboard looks on different screens. This feature solves the problem of dashboards appearing too big, too small, or not fitting well on various devices.

When you want your sales dashboard to fit perfectly on a laptop screen without scrolling

When you need a dashboard to adjust automatically for mobile phones and tablets

When you want to fix the dashboard size so it looks the same for all users

When you want to create a dashboard that expands to fill the browser window

When you want to design a dashboard with a custom size for a presentation screen

Steps

Step 1: Open your dashboard

- Tableau Desktop workspace

Your dashboard appears in the main view area

Step 2: Click

- Dashboard menu at the top

Dashboard options appear including sizing settings

Step 3: Locate and click the dropdown menu

- Size section in the Dashboard pane

Sizing options list expands showing choices like Fixed size, Range, and Automatic

Step 4: Select a sizing option

- Size dropdown menu

Dashboard size changes according to the selected option

Step 5: If Fixed size is selected, enter width and height values

- Width and Height input boxes below the Size dropdown

Dashboard resizes to the exact dimensions you entered

Step 6: If Range is selected, enter minimum and maximum width and height

- Range input boxes below the Size dropdown

Dashboard resizes dynamically within the range when window size changes

Step 7: Preview your dashboard

- Main dashboard view

You see how the dashboard fits different screen sizes

Before vs After

Before

Dashboard size is set to default 800 x 600 pixels and looks small on a large monitor

After

Dashboard size is set to Automatic and fills the browser window, making better use of screen space

Settings Reference

Fixed size

📍 Dashboard pane > Size dropdown

Sets the dashboard to a specific size that does not change

Default: 800 x 600 pixels

Automatic

📍 Dashboard pane > Size dropdown

Makes the dashboard fill the available space automatically

Default: Adjusts to the size of the window or device

Range

📍 Dashboard pane > Size dropdown

Allows the dashboard to resize between set minimum and maximum sizes

Default: Minimum 800 x 600, Maximum 1600 x 1200

Common Mistakes

Choosing Fixed size without considering user screen sizes

Dashboard may appear too small or require scrolling on different devices

Use Automatic or Range sizing to make the dashboard responsive

Setting Range minimum and maximum sizes too close

Dashboard has little room to adjust and may not display well on all screens

Set a reasonable range that covers common screen sizes

Summary

Dashboard sizing options control how your dashboard fits on different screens.

You can choose Fixed size, Automatic, or Range sizing depending on your needs.

Remember to consider your users' devices to make dashboards easy to view and use.