This blog will demonstrate the difference between pivoting in Tableau and Alteryx through examples.

Creating Columns out of Rows

Input:

Output:

Alteryx: Crosstab Tool

• Group data by values: if we are aggregating the data we can choose the fields we’d like to group by
• Change Column Headers: choose the field that contains the column headers
• Values for New Columns: choose the field that contains the values for the new rows
• Method of Aggregation: calculation that we want to aggregate by (in this case each we only have 1 value/ (state and new column), so it doesn’t matter which aggregation we choose)
  

Tableau Prep: Pivot Tool

• Selecting Pivoting Method: Rows to Columns
• Pivoted Fields: drag on the field that contains the new column headers
• Field to aggregate for new columns: drag on the field that contains the values for the new rows and choose the type of calculation that we want to aggregate by

Creating Rows out of Columns

Input:

Output:

Alteryx: Transpose Tool

• Key Columns: columns we don’t want to change
• Data Columns: columns that contain the values for the new ‘Value’ column; the headers for these columns will be in the new ‘Name’ column
  

Tableau Prep: Pivot Tool

• Selecting Pivoting Method: Columns to Rows to
• Pivoted Fields: drag on the fields that contain the values