Each object (Worksheet) in a dashboard can use one of two types of layouts: Tiled or Floating. Tiled objects are arranged in a single layer grid that adjust in size based on the total dashboard size and the objects around it. Floating objects can be layered on top of other objects and can have a fixed size and position. Tiled Layout All objects are tiled on a single layer. The top three views are in a horizontal layout container. Show
Floating Layout While most objects are tiled on this dashboard, the map view and its corresponding color legend are floating. They are layered on top of the bar chart, which uses a tiled layout.
The new version of Tableau (2021.2) brought us an awesome new feature, the ability to add a show/hide button to not only a floating container, but also a tiled container. When you close a tiled container, the other tiled containers fill that space. This opens us up to so many cool things and the datafam hasn't disappointed (as usual). When I was driving one day (and thinking about Tableau of course), I came up with the idea of creating a Tiled Container Selector, sort of a visual guide to which containers exist, which are open, which are closed, and which are available to be opened or closed. I landed on something I thought was quite cool. You can check out the example viz on my Tableau Public page and check out the animated gif below to see what it looks like. Okay, want to build one yourself? It's super easy and this 8 minute video will walk you through all the steps. Check it out and let me know what you think. Kevin Flerlage, August 23, 2021 Twitter | LinkedIn | Tableau Public
After you create a dashboard, you might need to resize and reorganize it to work better for your users. Control overall dashboard sizeDashboard size options
Tip: If you use Tableau Desktop, see Create Dashboard Layouts for Different Device Types to create unique layouts optimized for desktop computers, tablets, and phones. In addition to adapting to different screen sizes, each device layout can contain different items. Set overall dashboard size
Group items using layout containersLayout containers let you group related dashboard items together so you can quickly position them. As you change the size and placement of items inside a container, other container items automatically adjust. Layout containers can also be used for formatting. Layout container typesA horizontal layout container resizes the width of the views and objects it contains; a vertical layout container adjusts height.
Add a layout container
Evenly distribute a layout container's items
Automatically resize sheets in layout containersIf you add multiple sheets with related data to a layout container, whenever marks are selected in one sheet, you can automatically resize related sheets. In this example, when a mark is selected in the map, the bar chart updates to display profit and sales for that mark; when no marks are selected in the map, it automatically expands to fill the layout container.
Tile or float dashboard itemsTiled vs. floating layoutsEach object, layout container, and view that you place on a dashboard is either tiled (the default) or floating.
Float or tile a new item
Tip: You can also assign a floating layout to an item by holding down Shift on your keyboard as you drag it onto the dashboard. Switch an existing item from tiled to floating
Size, position, reorder, and rename individual dashboard itemsSet an item's size and positionIf you want a high degree of control over the placement of every item in a dashboard, choose Fixed size or Range for overall dashboard sizing, and then set each item's size and position using the Layout pane.
Tip: To quickly position floating items, press arrow keys to move 1 pixel, or Shift+arrow keys to move 10 pixels. To quickly resize items, add Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) to these shortcuts. Align items with a gridTo present a visually consistent design, arrange and size dashboard items over a grid.
Tip: To quickly toggle the grid on and off, press the G key. Reorder objectsThe Item hierarchy area on the Layout pane lets you quickly change how objects are layered and grouped on your dashboard. Items at the top of the list appear in the front, while items at the bottom appear in back. Reorder any object in Tableau Online or Tableau ServerIn Tableau Online and Tableau Server, you can reorder both tiled and floating objects in the hierarchy. You can also drag items both within their current containers, and into other containers at any level. This lets you nest items with more flexibility than editing on the canvas, which limits you to placing objects in the innermost container.
Reorder floating objects in Tableau DesktopIn Tableau Desktop, you can drag floating items at the top level of the hierarchy to change how they layer over each other.
Rename itemsTo better distinguish between dashboard items, you can rename them. In the Item hierarchy area of the Layout pane, right-click an item, and choose Rename Dashboard Item. On the dashboard itself, this command is also available from the drop-down menu for each object.
Add padding, borders, and background colors around itemsPadding lets you precisely space items on dashboard, while borders and background colors let you visually highlight them. Inner padding sets the spacing between item contents and the perimeter of the border and background color; outer padding provides additional spacing beyond the border and background color. Note: If you can't change the border or background color for a particular dashboard item, change its formatting at the worksheet level.
A. Outer padding B. Blue border C. Inner padding with light blue background
Here are some handy dashboard spacing tips:
Visually integrate elements with transparencyTransparent elements create a seamless visual look for your dashboards, revealing underlying objects and images. Tip: To create a background image that shows through floating transparent elements, add an image object as the only tiled item. Fixed-size dashboards ensure that the floating elements maintain a consistent visual relationship with the image, regardless of screen size. Make worksheet backgrounds transparent
Additional steps for transparent maps
Make a sheet partially transparent
Float transparent legends, filters, highlighters, and parametersTo visually connect filters, parameters, and highlighters to related data, float these items, which are transparent by default. Text always remains fully opaque, maintaining legibility. If a floating object continues to display a color, check these object- and worksheet-level settings:
For more information, see Format at the Worksheet Level. Thanks for your feedback! |