What is a Parameter?

When I first picked up Tableau, its safe to say I had no clue what a parameter was. I'd use them if I happened to stumble onto a blog post I liked but I didn't really understand their purpose or when they'd come in handy. A couple of weeks of training later and I've realised how useful they are.

First of all, what is a parameter? A parameter is a dynamic control that allows users to input values and modify certain aspects of a visualization without changing the underlying data or calculations. Parameters act as placeholders for values that can be referenced in calculations, filters, or other components of a Tableau workbook. Parameters provide an interactive way to customize visualizations.

Lets look at some examples:

  1. Change metric using buttons:

2. Dynamic Zoning

3. Change the bar colour, size and label on hover:

4. Top N Subcategories:

5. Percent Differences from Selected Dates:

Author:
Asha Daniels
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