Using Parameters to Convert a Date Filter to Show Different Date Terms

Published: 27 Apr 2023
Last Modified Date: 02 May 2023

Question

How to convert a date filter to allow selection of month/quarter/semester/year?
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Environment

Tableau Desktop 2021.3 and newer
Windows 10
Excel

Answer

The solution posted here and in the attached package workbook (see "Attachments" to the right of this text), is to use parameters to convert a date filter to allow the viewer to select different date terms such as month, quarter, semester, or year.

1. Create a parameter with the name Term as shown below:
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2. Create the following Calculated fields:

1) name: TS_month
value: STR(DATEPART('year', [Order Date])) +"Y-"+ STR(DATEPART('month', [Order Date]))+"M"
2) name: TS_quarter
value: STR(DATEPART('year', [Order Date]))+"Y-"+STR(DATEPART('quarter', [Order Date]))+"Q"
3) name: TS_semester
value: IF DATEPART('quarter', [Order Date]) < 3 THEN STR(DATEPART('year', [Order Date]))+'Y-Semester 1' ELSE STR(DATEPART('year', [Order Date]))+'Y-Semester 2' END
4) name: TS_year
value: STR(DATEPART('year', [Order Date]))+"Y"
5) name: TS_termfilter
value: IF [Term]="month" THEN [TS_month]
ELSEIF [Term]="quarter" THEN [TS_quarter]
ELSEIF [Term]="semester" THEN [TS_semester]
ELSEIF [Term]="year" THEN [TS_year]
END

3. Drag Ship Mode and Segment to Columns and Sales to the Rows.
4. Right-click Term and select Show Parameter.
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