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Applying Reference Lines to Tableau Next Visualizations

Use reference lines in Tableau Next to evaluate performance against benchmarks, such as customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores or monthly sales targets. You can base the reference line on the same measure, calculated field, or date field as the axis it’s on. You can also choose a different source field to compare against another business metric. Define the reference line as a constant for fixed targets or a computed measure value, such as average monthly revenue, to compare performance within context. Personalize it with labels and colors to interpret data easily.

Required Editions

View supported editions.

This table includes a description of the settings available with reference lines in Tableau Next.

Setting Description
Apply To

Choose where to apply the reference line based on the level of detail that you want to compare:

  • Table: Across the entire visualization
  • Pane: To each segment of the visualizaton created by its dimensions
  • Cell: To each grouping at the most granular level of the visualization
Add Line To Choose the field to draw the reference line on. The line appears horizontally or vertically based on the axis for that field.
Value Set the position for the reference line. Enter a constant, or select a source field and the calculation to compute the line’s position.
Label Choose the annotation for the reference line. Show its value, add custom text, or leave it blank.
Line Color

Apply a color to the reference line. Choose a color from the Default, Custom, or Data palette. Data palettes provide context-aware options to match the type of data you’re working with, such as:

  • Categorical to distinguish between distinct groups
  • Sequential to highlight increasing or decreasing values across a low-to-high range
  • Diverging to contrast values around a meaningful midpoint, such as zero or an average
  • Semantic to help users interpret data more quickly using colors with standard, widely understood meanings, such as red for negative values and green for positive

Add Reference Lines to Compare Data Points

In Tableau Next, you can add reference lines to highlight key thresholds in your visualizations. Add lines at constant values, computed values, or values from other fields to compare performance against business goals. For example, evaluate monthly sales against a median sales reference line and a reference line based on another field, such as profit ratio. Also, highlight an important date with a constant reference line, such as the start of a quarter.

Required Editions

View supported editions.
User Permissions Needed
To add reference lines in a Tableau Next visualization: Tableau Unmetered Platform Analyst or Tableau Next Platform Analyst permission set
  1. Select a chart visualization that supports reference lines. For the chart visualization in this example, select a vertical bar graph.
  2. From the Data pane, drag Category and Order Date onto Columns.
  3. From the Order Date context menu, click Date Part and choose Fiscal Year.
  4. From the Data pane, drag Sales onto Rows.
  5. Add a computed value as a reference line, such as median sales for each product category.
    1. From the Data pane or Rows, drag Sales onto Line in the Analytics section. By default, Tableau Next bases the reference line on a measure field’s average and a date/time field’s maximum value.
    2. For Apply To, select Pane.
    3. From the reference line’s context menu, select Measure > Median.
      Reference line’s context menu.
    4. Optionally, from the Label dropdown menu, select a label for the reference line.
    5. Optionally, choose a color for the reference line from Line Color.
  6. Add a reference line at the cell level, such as average sales for each product category and fiscal year.
    1. From the Data pane or Rows, drag Sales onto Line in the Analytics section.
    2. For Apply To, select Cell.
    3. Optionally, set a label and choose a color for the reference line.
  7. Add a reference line based on another field, such as average sales target, across all the data in the visualization.
    1. From the Data pane, drag Sales Target onto Line in the Analytics section.
    2. For Apply To, ensure that Table is selected.
    3. In the Value dropdown menu, verify that Sales Target is selected.
    4. In the Computation field, verify that Average is selected.
    5. Optionally, set a label and choose a color for the reference line.
    Bar graph showing table, category pane, and category-by-year cell reference lines with Order Date as Date Part.
  8. Add a constant reference line on the Order Date field, such as the rollout date of a new sales initiative.
    1. From the Order Date context menu on Columns, select Date Value, and then select Fiscal Year.
    2. From the Data pane or Columns, drag Order Date onto Line in the Analytics section.
    3. From the Value dropdown menu, select Constant.
    4. In the Constant Value field, set the date for the reference line.
    5. Optionally, set a label and choose a color for the reference line.
    Bar graph showing table, category pane, and vertical constant reference lines with Order Date as Date Value

Tableau Next Reference Line: Limitations

Reference lines aren’t supported on visualizations that include forecasting.