Using the Path Shelf for From - To Pattern Analysis

Have you ever wondered how to create a view that shows a path between two points such as shipments or weather patterns like the views shown below?

This kind of path analysis requires a specific data structure and the Path shelf. First you'll need to make sure your data source is set up correctly and then you can build the view.

Set up your Data Source

To create a view like this in Tableau Desktop you need to first make sure you data source has the right data structure.

Step 1

You'll need two rows of data for each path you want to trace—the "From" row and the "To" row. For example, when showing the path of a flight from Berlin to Chrast you would need a row for Berlin and a row for Chrast.

Step 2

For each data pair you need a unique key that identifies them as a pair. In this example there's a column called Path ID. For the two Berlin to Chrast rows the Path ID is "Berlin to Chrast."

Step 3

Each pair needs a path order as well. This will define the direction the line is drawn. For example, the row for Berlin has a path order of 1 and the row for Chrast has a path order of 2, which indicates that the flight was from Berlin to Chrast.

Build your View

Now that you have your data source set up, connect to it in Tableau Desktop and build the view.

Step 1

Frequently a path analysis is geographical and is best shown as a map view like the one below with Longitude on the Columns shelf and Latitude on the Rows shelf.

Step 2

Then add the marks by dragging the unique key that identifies From-To pairs to the Level of Detail shelf (in this example, the Path ID field is used).

Step 3

Use the drop-down menu on the Marks card to change the mark type to Line.

Step 4

Then place the Path Order field on the Path shelf. If you're trying to see a path over time (e.g., weather patterns) you can put the Date field on the path shelf instead.

Note: You can further refine the analysis by adding fields to the size, color, and text shelves.