INCLUDE LOD expression in Tableau - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

INCLUDE LOD expressions let you add extra detail to your calculations without changing the view. This helps when you want to see data at a finer level while keeping your main chart simple.

When you want to calculate sales per customer even if your view only shows sales per region.

When you need to count unique products sold per store but your dashboard shows total sales by month.

When you want to find average order size per product category while your chart groups by year.

When you want to add a detail like customer name to a calculation without adding it to the view.

When you want to compare detailed values inside a summary chart without changing the chart layout.

Steps

Step 1: Click

- Analysis menu > Create Calculated Field

A new calculation editor window opens

💡 Use a clear name for your calculation to remember its purpose

Step 2: Type

- Calculation editor

You enter the INCLUDE LOD expression syntax

💡 Start with curly braces and INCLUDE keyword, e.g., { INCLUDE [Customer ID] : SUM([Sales]) }

Step 3: Click

- OK button in the calculation editor

The new calculated field appears in the Data pane

💡 Drag this field into your view to see the detailed calculation

Step 4: Drag

- New calculated field to Rows or Columns shelf

The view updates showing the calculation at the included detail level

💡 You can combine this with other fields to compare different levels of detail

Before vs After

Before

View shows total sales by region only, no detail by customer

After

View shows sales including customer-level detail inside the region totals using INCLUDE LOD

Settings Reference

Calculation Editor

📍 Analysis menu > Create Calculated Field

To write and save custom calculations including INCLUDE LOD expressions

Default: Empty calculation

Data Pane

📍 Left side panel in Tableau workspace

To organize and access all data fields and calculations

Default: Shows all fields and calculations

Common Mistakes

Using INCLUDE without curly braces or colon

Tableau requires exact syntax with braces and colon for LOD expressions

Write INCLUDE LOD as { INCLUDE [Dimension] : AGGREGATION([Measure]) }

Adding fields in the view that conflict with the INCLUDE dimension

This can cause unexpected aggregation or duplicate rows

Keep the view fields separate from the INCLUDE dimension or adjust calculation accordingly

Summary

INCLUDE LOD expressions add extra detail to calculations without changing the view layout.

They help compare detailed data inside summary charts easily.

Remember to use correct syntax with curly braces and colon for INCLUDE expressions.