Custom Number Format Axis Label Changed When a View is Published

Issue

If a measure is formatted using literal in a view, the axis label format is lost when the view is published to a Tableau Server.

Environment

Tableau Server
Tableau Desktop

Resolution

The issue can be fixed by placing quotes around each instance of the literal. For instance, if the custom format is #,##0;Minus #,##0, you will need to add quote marks around "Minus": #,##0;"Minus "#,##0.

Cause

By the current design, Tableau Server cannot handle prefix and suffix literals that are not quoted. Tableau Desktop does not do any checking of the custom format. That is the reason that axis label formats are changed after a view is published to Tableau Server if the custom format contains unquoted literal.