Top N and bottom N view on the same worksheet In Tableau with 8 methods

1. Ranga Naik
Top N and Bottom N View on the Same Worksheet
This article helps you find the top and bottom N within the whole data set, Here, we will
create two side bar graphs in same work sheet, one is showing Top N values and the
other is showing Bottom N values .We Can achieve this one more than 5 methods . In
real time Every dashboard or chart created needs to support one common business
question What are the Top customers or products Or Players (it can be anything
Region , country , state level , city level etc) .
Steps to get Top N Bottom N view on the same worksheet:
Let’s use any data source example excel, csv or any database tables. I am going to use
superstore data source. Once you connected to data Follow the below steps
Method 1: Using Set
Most of the tableau developer aware about this method, but for beginner it will helpful.
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2 :
Create Top N and Bottom N parameter that will allow users to choose different Values.
In my example I am going to create Top 5 and Bottom 5 selection parameter

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Step 3:
Right Click on “Sub-Category” dimension present at the data pane section and then
select Create -> set
Step 4 :
Create a Set and name it as Top N Category.
Go to the Top filter tab -> Select By field -> Choose the parameter what you created i.e
Top N and Bottom N parameter.

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Step 5:
Create one more set and name it as Bottom N Category follow above step instead of
“top” choose bottom
Step 6:
Now you have two sets, one for the TOP N VALUE and one for the BOTTOM N
VALUE.
Select both sets > right-click > Create Combined Set

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Step 7:
Give Name as Top N and Bottom N combined set and choose All members in both
sets.
Step 8:
Now you can drag this new set “Top N and Bottom N combined set ” to the Filter
shelf and you can able to see your desired result. Sort it descending order, Enable show
mark label and choose show parameter control

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Method 2: Using Index (), Size () function
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2 :
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e
Descending -> Choose Sort By ( On which filed you want to short ) -> choose
aggregation

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Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N and use parameter what you created in
method 1
In Calculation Mention any one of the formula i.e a or b
a) INDEX() <= [Top N and Bottom N Parameter]
OR
INDEX() >= Size() - [Top N and Bottom N Parameter]

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b) INDEX() <= [Top N and Bottom N Parameter]
OR
[Top N and Bottom N Parameter] > Size() - INDEX()
Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”

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Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single
view.
Method 3: Using First(), Size () function
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2:
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e. Descending
-> Choose Sort By (On which filed you want to short) -> choose aggregation

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Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N_first and use parameter what you
created in method 1
In Calculation Mention any one of the formula i.e a or b
a) -First() < [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
-First() >= Size() - [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]

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b) -First() <[Top N and Bottom N parameter]
OR
[TopN and BottomN parameter] >= Size() +First()
Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”

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Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single view.
Method 4: Using Last (), Size () function
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2:
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e. Descending
-> Choose Sort By (On which filed you want to short) -> choose aggregation

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Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N_last and use parameter what you
created in method 1
In Calculation Mention any one of the formula i.e a or b
a) LAST() >= Size() - [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
LAST () < [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]

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b) [Top N and Bottom N parameter ] >= Size() - LAST()
OR
LAST () < [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”

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Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single view.
Method 5: First() , LAST() Function
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2:
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e. Descending
-> Choose Sort By (On which filed you want to short) -> choose aggregation

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Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N_first_last and use parameter what
you created in method 1
In Calculation Mention below formula i.e
-FIRST() < [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
LAST () < [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]

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Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”
Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single view.

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Method 6: Rank_Unique () , size()
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2:
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e. Descending
-> Choose Sort By (On which filed you want to short) -> choose aggregation
Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N_Rank_unique and use parameter
what you created in method 1
In Calculation Mention any one of the formula i.e a or b
a) RANK_UNIQUE(SUM([Sales])) <= [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
RANK_UNIQUE(SUM([Sales])) > size() -[Top N and Bottom N parameter ]

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b) RANK_UNIQUE(SUM([Sales])) <= [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
[Top N and Bottom N parameter ] > size() -RANK_UNIQUE(SUM([Sales]))
Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”

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Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single view.

20. Ranga Naik
Method 7: Rank () , size()
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.
Step 2:
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e. Descending
-> Choose Sort By (On which filed you want to short) -> choose aggregation
Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N_Rank and use parameter what you
created in method 1
In Calculation Mention any one of the formula i.e. a or b
a) RANK(SUM([Sales])) <= [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
RANK(SUM([Sales])) > SIZE() - [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]

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b) RANK(SUM([Sales])) <= [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
[Top N and Bottom N parameter ] > SIZE() - RANK(SUM([Sales]))
Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”

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Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single view.
Method 8: Rank_DENSE () , size()
Step 1:
Using the Superstore Sales data, create a horizontal bar chart showing the Sum of
Sales per sub category. To create this view drag sales in columns shelf and sub
category in Row shelf.

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Step 2:
Sort the sub category data to descending order
Click sub category from column shelf -> select sort -> choose sort order i.e. Descending
-> Choose Sort By (On which filed you want to short) -> choose aggregation
Step 3:
Create calculated filed i.e Top N and Bottom N_Rank_dense and use parameter what
you created in method 1
In Calculation Mention any one of the formula i.e. a or b
a) RANK_DENSE(sum([Sales])) <= [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
RANK_DENSE(sum([Sales])) > SIZE() - [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]

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b) RANK_DENSE(sum([Sales])) <= [Top N and Bottom N parameter ]
OR
[Top N and Bottom N parameter ] > SIZE() - RANK_DENSE(sum([Sales]))
Step 4:
Drag calculated field into filter shelf and choose “TRUE”
Step 5:
Enable the parameter and Label you will get desired result in a Single view.

25. Ranga Naik
Notes :
 If data contains duplicate measure values than go for Method 1 i.e. Using Set ,
Method 6 i.e Rank_Unique () , size() and Method 8 i.e Rank_dense (), size()
 Please refer below url for tableau workbook.
https://public.tableau.com/profile/publish/topnbottomnanalysis/rank_denseandsiz
emethod8#!/publish-confirm

26. Ranga Naik