Butterfly Chart using Tableau

What is Tableau?

Tableau is the industry’s most widely used business intelligence (BI) tool for data visualization, helping organizations understand their data and make better business decisions.

What is a Butterfly chart? 

A butterfly chart is a type of data visualization that displays two sets of data in a single chart. The graph is made up of two mirrored bar charts that are attached by a central axis. The bars on either side of the axis represent positive and negative values, and the axis itself represents a value of zero.Butterfly charts are useful for comparing two measures, highlighting differences between them, and displaying changes over time.

There are many custom charts we can make in Tableau that are not available by default, one of which is the Butterfly chart. Let’s see how it is done.

Step 1: In Tableau.

For this demonstration I am using the sample superstore data set. I constructed a bar chart using the common dimension “Sales Region” in rows and the measures "Price" and "Order Total" in the column.

Step 2: Create a zero-axis calculated field.

Add the Zero Axis in the column between price and Order Total and convert its mark type as text.

Step 3: Add Sales Region in sum(zero) under marks and format the zero axis.

Step 4: In sales Region click on show header and then make it in descending order as per screenshot.

Step 5: Reverse one of the bar charts.

Right-click on the axis at the bottom and select edit axis. select the ‘Reversed’ option, this will reverse the bar chart.

Step 6: Remove all the grids and right click on axis then click on edit axis and select Tick Marks choose None.

Step 7: Add Price and Order Total in the color.

Conclusion:

Using Butterfly charts we can visually compare two measures easily.