Types of Filters in Tableau

Types of Filters in Tableau

There are different types of filters in a tableau that can be used to organize data based on predefined conditions and use them for visualizing the data onto the dashboard and worksheet. The different types of filters used in Tableau are:

1. Extract Filters

2. Data Source Filters

3. Context Filters

4. Dimension Filters

5. Measure Filters

Extract Filters

This is the initial level filter in Tableau. The Extract filters in tableau create an extract of a small subset of data from the original data source or we can say that Extract filters are used to filter the extracted data from the data source. This filter is utilized only if the user extracts the data from the data source.

Data Source Filters:

As the name suggested, this filter applies to the data sources. This filter any important or sensitive information that we want to control while loading the data into Tableau. It works on both the Live and Extract connections. We can add the data source filter on any column by clicking on the ADD option.

Context Filters

Context filter is an independent filter that creates a different worksheet out of the original dataset and computes the calculation in the filtered dataset. To add a filter as a context in your Tableau sheet, right-click on the field value in the filter pane and click on the Add to Context option. if we want to remove any existing Context filter, then we can remove the context from the same drop-down box.

Dimension Filters

When we apply a filter on the dimension it is called a dimension filter. The dimension filters are the filters that we apply to individual dimensions. Dimensions are not aggregated and so, we can select distinct values from the list of field values. To apply the dimension filter, drag a dimension from the list of dimensions to the filter pane. Complete the filtering steps and apply the filter. The dimension filters are shown in blue in the filter pane.

Measure Filters

Like dimension filter we can also apply the filter on the measures. The measure filters are the filters that we apply using the measure field values. Measure values are always aggregated like sum, average, median, etc. To apply a measure filter, drag a measure field from the measures list to the filter pane. It will ask you to select an aggregation type on the filter value.