5 min read
Tableau Groups Explained
Understanding and using groups to organize data in Tableau
What are Groups?
Groups combine multiple values into one category.
Example:
- "East" + "West" + "Central" → "United States"
- "France" + "Germany" + "Spain" → "Europe"
Why Use Groups?
- Simplify analysis
- Combine small categories
- Create custom categories
- Better visualizations
Creating Groups
Method 1: From Visualization
- Select marks on your chart (Ctrl+Click)
- Click the paperclip icon
- Group is created!
Method 2: From Data Pane
- Right-click a dimension
- Select "Create" → "Group"
- Select values to group
- Name your group
- Click OK
Example: Region Groups
Original data:
- New York
- California
- Texas
- Florida
Create groups:
- East: New York, Florida
- West: California, Texas
Editing Groups
- Right-click the grouped field
- Select "Edit Group"
- Add or remove members
- Rename groups
- Click OK
Including "Other"
For ungrouped values:
- Edit your group
- Check "Include 'Other'"
- All remaining values go to "Other"
Groups in Action
Before Grouping
State Sales
New York $100K
California $90K
Texas $80K
Florida $70K
After Grouping
Region Sales
East $170K (NY + FL)
West $170K (CA + TX)
Group vs Set
| Group | Set |
|---|---|
| Static categories | Dynamic/conditional |
| Combine values | In/Out membership |
| Always same | Can change based on data |
Tips
- Name groups clearly
- Don't create too many groups
- Use "Other" for small values
- Groups create new dimension
Use Cases
- Regional grouping
- Product categories
- Customer segments
- Time periods (Q1, Q2, etc.)
Summary
Groups combine multiple values into one. Select values and click paperclip, or right-click to create manually. Great for simplifying data!