TABLEAU: Create global filter from a secondary data source to multiple data sources on dashboard

Question

I have a Tableau dashboard with various visualizations created from 3 data sources (i.e. A,B, C).

Each data source has a relationship (join) with the same secondary data source (i.e. D), and the secondary data sources provides information to create a filter for each data source. In other words, there is the following relationship for my data sources: A - D B - D C - D

I would like to create a global filter on a dashboard I have created. I would like one filter card from "D" to show up and be applied to "A," "B," and "C" at once rather than having a separate filter card show up for each data source.

I tried to create a global filter via a parameter and calculated field, but the parameter requires layers of connections because data sources "A,B, and C" only have "D" in common.

Thoughts?

Solution

Its not completely clear from your question, but it sounds like you are using Tableau data blending on your worksheets to include data from multiple data sources, rather than a join to create a data source based on multiple tables. If all your tables are on the same database server or spreadsheet, then traditional joins are usually more efficient than data blending.

The following approach often works well.

Instead of using Tableau's quick filter feature, create a worksheet based solely on D that shows the values you wish to use for filtering. It can be a simple list of names, or a bubble chart or anything you like. Use that worksheet as your filter by creating actions where it is the source and all the other worksheets on your dashboard are the target. Typically, you would want to specify the field names explicitly.

Data blending is useful but can be complex. Depending on details, you may need to make D the primary data source on your other worksheets. Experiment.

The parameter and calculated field you mentioned can be even simpler and faster than using actions, but users are restricted to selecting a single value for a parameter unlike the filter action approach. (Of course, one parameter value can represent multiple values in your target data source field depending entirely on how your calculated field interprets the parameter).

I can't tell why that didn't work for you or what you mean by "layers of connections". You might consider clarifying that part of your question.