Removing "Abc" Placeholder Text

Published: 14 Dec 2016
Last modified date: 13 Jul 2023

Question

How to remove the "Abc" placeholder text from a crosstab view.

Environment

Tableau Desktop

Answer

All of these options are demonstrated in the attached workbook.

CLICK TO EXPAND SOLUTION

Option 1: Use Polygon mark type

On the Marks card in the dropdown menu, select Polygon
Resize the last column to make it smaller
Navigate to Format > Borders
In the left-hand Format Border Pane, for Column Divider, For Pane, select None from the dropdown menu
Navigate to Format > Shading
In the left-hand Format Border Shading, for Row Banding, move the slider to the desired level of row banding

CLICK TO EXPAND STEPS

Option 2: Place the last dimension on Text

Drag a second copy of the last dimension on the Rows shelf to Text on the Marks card
Right-click on the last dimension on the Rows shelf and untick Show Header

CLICK TO EXPAND STEPS

Option 3: For earlier versions of Tableau Desktop

Create a placeholder field

Select Analysis > Create Calculated Field.
Name the field Blank, enter the following formula, then click OK:
" "
Place this new "Blank" dimension on the Text mark.

Change the mark colour

Right-click the Abc text in the view and select Format.
Change the pane colour to a colour that matches the background (e.g., white).
Click the shading icon and decrease the banding size for rows to eliminate row banding.

To view the steps shown in the below video, please expand the above section.
Note: the video has no sound.

Additional information

By default, Tableau uses "Abc" placeholder text for any values that could potentially be displayed. In cases where you are using only dimensions or discrete values, Tableau leaves the empty column with the "Abc" placeholder text.

Format Borders
Resize Tables and Cells