Additional formatting options can also be accessed from the formatting window. These options include the following:
- A myriad of options for Reference Lines
- Line and text options for Drop Lines
- Shading and border options for Titles and Captions
- Text, box, and line options for Annotations
- Font, shading, alignment, and separator options for Field Labels
- Title and body options for Legends, Quick Filters, and Parameters
- Cell Size and Workbook Theme options
You'll find most of these fairly straightforward. A few options might not be as obvious:
- Drop Lines, which appear as lines drawn from the mark to the axis, can be enabled by right-clicking any blank area in the pane of the view with an axis and selecting Drop Lines | Show Drop Lines. Additional options can be accessed using the same right-click menu and selecting Edit Drop Lines. Drop lines are only displayed in Tableau Desktop and Reader, but are not currently available when a view is published to Tableau Server, Online, or Public.
- Titles and Captions can be shown or hidden for any view by selecting Worksheet from the menu and then selecting the desired options. In addition to standard formatting, which can be applied to titles and captions, the text of a title or caption can be edited and specifically formatted by double-clicking the title or caption, right-clicking the title or caption and selecting Edit, or by using the drop-down menu of the title or caption (or the drop-down menu of the view on a dashboard). The text of titles and captions can dynamically include the values of parameters, the values of any field in the view, and certain other data and worksheet-specific values.
- Annotations can be created by right-clicking a mark or space in the view, selecting Annotate, and then selecting one of the following three types of annotations:
- Mark annotations are associated with a specific mark in the view. If that mark does not show (due to a filter or axis range), then neither will the annotation. Mark annotations can include a display of the values of any fields that define the mark or its location.
- Point annotations are anchored to a specific point in the view. If the point is ever not visible in the view, the annotation will disappear. Point annotations can include a display of any field values that define the location of the point (for example, the coordinates of the axis).
- Area annotations are contained within a rectangular area. The text of all annotations can dynamically include the values of parameters, and certain other data and worksheet-specific values.
You can copy formatting from one worksheet to another (within the same workbook or across workbooks) by selecting Copy Formatting from the Format menu while viewing the source worksheet (or selecting the Copy Formatting option from the right-click menu on the source worksheet tab). Then, select Paste Formatting on the Format menu while viewing the target worksheet (or select the option from the right-click menu on the Target worksheet tab).
This option will apply any custom formatting present on the source sheet to the target. However, specific formatting applied during the editing of the text of titles, captions, labels, and tooltips is not copied to the target sheet.
This option will apply any custom formatting present on the source sheet to the target. However, specific formatting applied during the editing of the text of titles, captions, labels, and tooltips is not copied to the target sheet.