# I still hate Tableau hacks

> This is content from just-tim, the data-and-analytics channel by Tim Ngwena (formerly 'Tableau Tim'). Tim has 12+ years of hands-on BI experience and covers Tableau most of all, plus Power BI, Looker, Hex, SQL and data modelling, the analytics industry, and the craft of doing the job — always tool-agnostic and honest about the trade-offs.

- **Author:** Tim Ngwena (just-tim, https://just-tim.com/about)
- **Published:** 2023-07-21
- **Format:** Video · 5 min watch · transcript available
- **Topics:** Data visualisation, Tool strategy
- **Tools:** Tableau (charts, dashboards, parameters)
- **Canonical:** https://just-tim.com/posts/i-still-hate-tableau-hacks
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-E6wIfRm1c

I revisit my long-standing gripe with Tableau hacks after seeing a LinkedIn post from Tableau promoting chart types like sunbursts, radial charts and donuts. I argue that these non-native chart types get marketed as simple drag-and-drop features when they actually require workarounds, and I object to hacks being treated as accepted practice and even appearing in certification exams.

## Key takeaways

- Sunburst, radial and donut charts are not native Tableau chart types and require workarounds rather than true drag-and-drop building
- A donut chart is made by duplicating a measure (sum/min/average of one) on a dual-axis pie and formatting the second mark, which is quick but still a hack
- Marketing these techniques as easy features can mislead newcomers about how much effort they actually take
- Hacks becoming accepted practice can even feed into certification exam answers, such as using a parameter and action to mimic a button
- The arrival of a native radial chart pilot suggests hacks shouldn't be the long-term way to build these charts

Watch the full video, read the transcript and use chapter deep-links on the page: https://just-tim.com/posts/i-still-hate-tableau-hacks

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just-tim — Data and analytics, with a point of view. · https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HYxRWmaNlJux-X7rNLZyw · https://twitter.com/TableauTim · https://www.linkedin.com/in/timngwena