When y'all add a continuous field (a field with a green background) to the Columns or Rows shelf, it adds an centrality to the view. An axis shows information points that lie inside a range of values. For each axis, you tin can specify the range, scale, and tick mark backdrop.

Double-click an axis to open up the Edit Centrality dialog box and change the axis configuration and formatting. If you tin can't edit the axis, see Why can't I edit my axis?

In this example, the Profit field (a continuous measure) on the Rows shelf creates a vertical centrality, and the Gild Date field (a continuous date dimension) on the Columns shelf creates a horizontal axis.

Note: For more data on formatting headers and field labels, see Format at the Worksheet Level and Format Fields and Field Labels. For details on continuous and detached fields, see Dimensions and Measures, Blue and Light-green.

Edit an centrality range

To edit an centrality range, double-click the centrality that you desire to edit.

Note: In Tableau Desktop, you tin can right-click (command-click on Mac) the axis, and then select Edit Axis. In web authoring, you tin can click the arrow button on an axis, and then select Edit Axis.

When yous select an axis, the marks associated with the centrality are not selected and then that yous can edit and format the axis without modifying the marks.

To select the marks associated with the axis, right-click the axis and select Select Marks. You can also select each marker individually. For more information, run across Select marks(Link opens in a new window).

Why tin can't I edit my axis?

If y'all can't edit an axis, it's most probable a header rather than centrality.

  • Continuous fields (light-green groundwork) on the Rows and Columns shelves create axes in the view. When you right-click an centrality, you will run into this bill of fare:

  • Discrete fields (bluish background) on the Rows and Columns shelves create headers, not axes. When you right-click a header, yous will run into this carte du jour:

You can edit the formatting of headers by right-clicking a header, and then selecting Format.

For more details on formatting headers and field labels, see Format at the Worksheet Level and Format Fields and Field Labels. For details on continuous and discrete fields, meet Dimensions and Measures, Blue and Light-green.

If yous have hidden an axis or a header in the view, y'all can bear witness it again from its related field in the view.

To hide an axis

Correct-click (command-click on Mac) the axis in the view, and then clear the check mark next to the Testify Header pick.

To show a previously hidden axis

Right-click (control-click on Mac) the continuous field in the view that is associated with centrality you want to show, click its drib downward menu, and and then click Show Header.

For related details, see Axes in Parts of the View.

To hibernate a header

Correct-click (control-click on Mac) a header in the view, and and so clear the bank check mark next to the Show Header pick.

To show previously subconscious header

Right-click (command-click on Mac) the detached field in the view that is associated with headers that you lot want to show, click its driblet downward menu, and and then click Show Header.

For related details, come across Headers in Parts of the View.

For details on continuous and discrete fields, see Dimensions and Measures, Blue and Green.

Modify an axis range

You can limit the axis range to focus the view on certain data points.

For instance, presume your view shows sales over four years. The automatic axis might show a range from 0 to $750,000. If sales never go beneath $470,000, you lot can conform the centrality range to offset at $470,000 to keep the focus on where the data points actually prevarication.

To change an axis range:

  1. Double-click the axis that you want to edit. Y'all tin also right-click (control-click on Mac) the axis, and then select Edit Centrality.

  2. In the Edit Axis dialog box, select i of the post-obit options:

    • Automatic.Automatically bases the axis range on the data used in the view.

    • Uniform axis range for all rows or columns.Sets the axis range uniformly to the maximum data range for all panes in the view.

    • Independent centrality ranges for each row or column. Makes the centrality range independent. The axis range varies for each pane in the view, depending on the range of data in each pane.

    • Stock-still. Specifies to start and/or end the axis at a specific value. You tin can gear up both ends of the axis or simply one cease. When you set up both ends of the axis, the axis range is determined past the values you specify. When y'all fix only one end of the axis, you must fix the other end of the axis as automatic, uniform, or independent.

  3. Y'all tin also specify whether to include cipher. When you lot clear the Include zippo check box, the axis range adjusts to show only the range of values in the data.

  4. Click OK.

Change the axis scale to reversed or logarithmic

Axis calibration options include Reversed and Logarithmic.

When you select Logarithmic, you can then specify Positive or Symmetric. Symmetric displays data that contains positive, 0, or negative values on a log scale axis, and is best used to visualize large negative values on a logarithmic calibration, too as big positive values, or both. For related details, see About the symmetric log axis transform.

To change the calibration of an axis:

  1. Double-click the axis that y'all desire to edit. Y'all can also correct-click (control-click on Mac) the axis, and and then select Edit Axis.

  2. In the Edit Centrality dialog box, on the Full general tab, select Reversed or Logarithmic for the axis scale.

    The option to choose Symmetric or Positive is only available when the centrality range extends outside of the closed interval [-10, 10].

    Logarithmic: Select Positive or Symmetric for the log scale. The Symmetric option displays data that contains positive, 0, and negative values on a log scale centrality. By default, the tick marks are drawn at powers of x, but you can specify any base of operations that is greater than 1.

  3. Click the Tick Marks tab and select one of the following options:

    • Automatic - the major tick marks are drawn at powers of 10.

    • Fixed - the major tick marks are fatigued at a specified exponent. Type a number into the Powers of text box.

    • None - major tick marks are non shown.

  4. When finished, click OK.

You lot can likewise reverse the axis by selecting Opposite in the Scale area on the General tab of the Edit Centrality dialog box.

Well-nigh the symmetric log axis transform

The symmetric log centrality applies an area hyperbolic sine transform to the axis:

asinh(ten) = ln(10 + √(10^2 +1))

For large values (|x| >> 1),

asinh(x)~ln(ten), 10 > 0

asinh(x)~-ln(ten), x < 0

Because asinh is defined for all real values (negative numbers in particular) this transform allows you lot to visualize large negative values on a logarithmic scale, as well as large positive values, or both.

However, while a log axis can be used to visualize the scale of very pocket-size values, a symmetric log axis cannot exist used to visualize the calibration of very small values.

For minor values (|ten| < 1),

asinh(x) ≈ x

Using a symmetric log axis calibration for small values has a similar issue to using a linear scale (i.e., a normal quantitative centrality).

Change the appearance of an axis

Every centrality has a title that is automatically generated based on the fields in the view. Yous can specify a custom centrality title and add a subtitle using the Edit Centrality dialog box. You can as well specify the scale of the axis, such as whether to apply a logarithmic scale or whether to reverse the centrality.

To modify the appearance of an centrality:

  1. Right-click (control-click on Mac) on the axis that yous want to edit and select Edit Axis.

  2. In the Edit Axis dialog box, type a new championship in the Title text box.

  3. To add a custom subtitle, articulate the Automatic check box.

  4. To alter the scale of the axis, select one of the following options:

    • Reversed- select this selection to opposite the order of values on the axis.

    • Logarithmic - select this selection to use a logarithmic scale on the axis.

  5. Click OK.

Format tick marks

You can specify how oftentimes the tick marks are displayed forth the axis. Tableau allows you to modify both the Major and Minor tick marks. Major tick marks are accompanied by unit labels while Modest tick marks simply represent smaller increments between the major marks. You can choose to employ automatic or fixed tick marks or accept none at all.

To format tick marks:

  1. Right-click (command-click on Mac) the axis you lot desire to edit and select Edit Centrality.

  2. In the Edit Axis dialog box, select the Tick Marks tab.

  3. For both Major and Minor tick marks, select from one of the following options:

    • Automatic - select this option to automatically show tick marks based on the data in the view.

    • Stock-still - select this option to specify how oft the tick mark should display and the starting value.

    • None - select this option to hibernate the tick marks completely.

  4. Click OK.

Examples: Use Different Axis Ranges (Uniform, Independent, Stock-still)

In this example you will build three views using the same data. However, each view will apply a different centrality range format. These views use the Sample-Superstore information source to brandish the aggregated full sales for 3 product categories over the class of four years.

Build a view with a uniform axis range

A uniform axis range means that the same range is applied to each row or column in your view. The range is automatically generated based on the underlying data values.

  1. Place the Order Date dimension on the Columns shelf and the Category dimension on the Rows shelf.

  2. Place the Sales measure out on the Rows shelf.

    The measure is automatically aggregated as a summation and an centrality is added to the view. By default the view uses a uniform axis range. Observe that the axis range is the same, from null to 250,000 for each product category.

    A graphic depicting a view whose axis is along a uniform range.

Build a view using independent axis ranges

When you use an contained centrality range, each row or column volition take its ain axis range based on the underlying data values.

  1. Right-click (command-click on Mac) the SUM(Sales) axis in the view and select Edit Centrality.

  2. In the Edit Centrality dialog box, select Independent axis ranges for each row or column.

  3. Click the Ten to shut the dialog box with the electric current settings.

    The axis range for each production category are now independent from each other. The Technology and Part Supplies categories still range from zilch to 250,000, but the Piece of furniture category ranges from zero to a piffling over 200,000.

    A graphic depicting a view whose axis is along an independent range.

Build a view using a fixed axis range

You can fix 1 or both ends of an axis in order to customize how much of the data you can see in the view.

The commencement example shows how to ready both ends of the axis. The 2nd shows how to prepare just one end of the centrality, and then ascertain the axis range for all panes in the view.

To set both ends of the axis:

  1. Right-click (control-click on Mac) the SUM(Sales) axis in the view and select Edit Centrality.

  2. In the Edit Centrality dialog box, select Fixed, and then define Start and Stop values either by typing into the text boxes or by dragging the sliders toward each other. For this example, type 0 for Beginning and 200,000 for Terminate.

    A graphic depicting the Format Field dialog box for a measure. The Axis Range tab is selected so you can define a fixed (custom) axis range.

  3. Click the 10 to close the dialog box with the current settings.

    The categories now display only up to $200,000 in sales. The axes are marked with a pin symbol , which indicates that you take express the centrality range and that some data might not exist displayed.

    A graphic depicting a view whose axis is along a fixed (custom) axis range.

To fix 1 finish of the axis:

  1. Correct-click (control-click on Mac) the SUM(Sales) axis in the view and select Edit Axis.

  2. In the Edit Centrality dialog box , select Stock-still, click the Fixed End drib-down menu, and then select Independent.

  3. Click the Ten to close the dialog box with the electric current settings.

    Observe that the categories at present have slightly dissimilar centrality ranges. For instance, Role Supplies has an centrality range from 0 to 250,000 dollars, while Furniture only has a range from 0 to 200,000 dollars.

    For more information near the difference betwixt automated, compatible, and contained axis ranges, run into Edit Axes.