A Filled Map in Tableau is a geographical visualization that displays data by filling geographic areas with different colors. These areas can represent countries, states, provinces, counties, or other supported geographic regions. Filled maps are also known as choropleth maps.
Filled maps help users identify geographical patterns, compare regional performance, and understand how business metrics vary from one area to another. For example, a company can create a filled map of India to compare sales across states. States with higher sales can appear in one color range, while states with lower sales appear in another.
Unlike symbol maps, which display symbols at geographic locations, filled maps color the geographic boundaries of regions. They are particularly useful for comparing regional totals, percentages, rates, and other aggregated measures.
A filled map is a visualization in which each supported geographic region is represented by a polygon whose interior is filled with a color. The color usually represents a measure or category associated with that region.
For example, if a dataset contains State and Sales fields, Tableau can display the states as filled geographic areas and color each state according to its sales value.
| State | Sales | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 500000 | 100000 |
| Gujarat | 350000 | 70000 |
| Karnataka | 420000 | 85000 |
| Rajasthan | 250000 | 40000 |
| Tamil Nadu | 390000 | 75000 |
When State is used as the geographic dimension and Sales is placed on Color, Tableau can color the recognized state polygons according to the sales values. The resulting map helps users compare regional sales performance visually.
Filled maps are useful when the business question concerns how a value varies across geographic regions.
A retail organization wants to understand which states generate the highest sales. A filled map colors each state based on total sales. Management can use the visualization to identify strong and weak regions and investigate the factors behind regional differences.
Filled maps and symbol maps are both geographical visualizations, but they represent locations differently.
| Feature | Filled Map | Symbol Map |
|---|---|---|
| Visual representation | Colors geographic areas. | Displays symbols at geographic points. |
| Geographic unit | Countries, states, provinces, counties, and supported areas. | Cities, stores, customers, facilities, or coordinates. |
| Primary visual encoding | Area color. | Symbol size, color, or shape. |
| Typical use | Comparing regional totals, rates, or categories. | Comparing individual locations or showing point distributions. |
| Example | Sales by state. | Sales by individual store. |
| Main limitation | Large regions can visually dominate smaller regions. | Symbols can overlap in densely populated locations. |
Important: Choose a filled map when the geographic area itself is important to the comparison. Choose a symbol map when the analysis focuses on individual points or locations.
Before creating a filled map, prepare your dataset and confirm that Tableau can recognize the geographic fields.
| Field Type | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic dimension | Country, State, Province | Identifies the areas to display. |
| Measure | Sales, Profit, Revenue | Controls the fill color according to quantitative values. |
| Category dimension | Region, Segment, Status | Colors areas according to categories. |
| Additional location context | Country, State | Helps resolve ambiguous geographic names. |
| Time field | Order Date, Year | Supports comparisons across periods. |
Tableau supports built-in geographic boundaries for many recognized locations. If a location is unsupported or the required geographic boundary is unavailable, you may need spatial data or another mapping approach.
A geographic role tells Tableau how to interpret a field as geographical information. Tableau can use recognized geographic roles to match location names with geographic coordinates and supported map boundaries.
For example, a State field should have the State/Province geographic role. If a field contains state names but has an incorrect role, Tableau may fail to create the intended map or may interpret its values incorrectly.
Follow these steps to create a filled map in Tableau Desktop.
Connect to Data
↓
Open a Worksheet
↓
Add a Geographic Field
↓
Generate a Map
↓
Select Map on the Marks Card
↓
Drag a Measure to Color
↓
Customize and Analyze the Filled MapAnother option is to use Tableau's Show Me panel and select a filled map when the selected fields are suitable. The exact options available depend on the data and Tableau version.
In this example, you will create a filled map to compare sales across Indian states.
Country,State,Sales,Profit
India,Maharashtra,500000,100000
India,Gujarat,350000,70000
India,Karnataka,420000,85000
India,Rajasthan,250000,40000
India,Tamil Nadu,390000,75000Each recognized state is displayed as a filled geographic area. The fill color represents sales, allowing users to compare the recorded sales values across states. Tooltips can provide additional profit information when users hover over a state.
Data note: The values in this exercise are illustrative. A production analysis should use verified data and appropriate geographic identifiers.
The Marks card controls how data is displayed in a Tableau visualization. For filled maps, the Map mark type creates filled geographic areas, while other Marks card options control how information is encoded.
| Marks Card Option | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Colors geographic areas based on a measure or dimension. | Sales by state. |
| Label | Displays text on geographic areas where labels fit. | State name or sales value. |
| Detail | Adds dimensions to define the level of detail. | State or a suitable geographic identifier. |
| Tooltip | Displays information when a user hovers over a geographic area. | Sales, Profit, and State. |
| Color settings | Controls the palette, range, and appearance of fill colors. | Sequential colors for sales values. |
Symbol Size is mainly associated with point-based marks. For a standard filled map, color is usually the primary visual encoding.
A measure is a quantitative field, such as Sales, Profit, Revenue, or Customer Count. When a measure is placed on Color, Tableau uses its values to determine the color assigned to each geographic area.
Make sure the aggregation matches the question. For example, SUM(Sales) compares total sales, while AVG(Sales) compares average sales at the displayed level of detail.
Dimensions contain descriptive or categorical information. A dimension can be used to assign different colors to geographic areas based on categories rather than numerical magnitude.
A company groups its states into sales performance categories: High, Medium, and Low.
| State | Performance Category |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | High |
| Gujarat | Medium |
| Karnataka | High |
| Rajasthan | Low |
| Tamil Nadu | Medium |
Dragging Performance Category to Color assigns colors to the categories. This is useful for communicating business-defined groups, status, or classifications.
When categorical coloring is used, ensure that the categories are defined consistently and that the legend explains their meaning.
Color selection is important because it determines how easily users can interpret differences between regions.
Labels display text directly on geographic areas. They can show state names, sales values, profit values, or other relevant details.
Avoid displaying too many labels on a crowded map. Use tooltips for additional information when the geographic areas are too small to accommodate readable text.
Tooltips display additional information when a user hovers over a filled geographic area. They let users explore details without placing every value directly on the map.
For example, a tooltip for Maharashtra might display its state name, total sales, total profit, and profit margin. The displayed values should correspond to the current filters and level of detail.
Aggregation determines how Tableau combines multiple records into a value for each geographic area. Choosing the correct aggregation is essential for accurate geographical analysis.
| Aggregation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| SUM | Adds values together. | Total sales for each state. |
| AVG | Calculates the average. | Average order value by state. |
| MIN | Returns the minimum value. | Lowest transaction value by state. |
| MAX | Returns the maximum value. | Highest transaction value by state. |
| COUNT | Counts records or non-null values, depending on the field. | Number of records by state. |
| COUNTD | Counts distinct values. | Number of unique customers by state. |
Before publishing a map, verify whether the measure should be summed, averaged, counted, or calculated as a rate. An incorrect aggregation can lead to misleading conclusions.
Filled maps are especially useful for displaying rates, percentages, and normalized measures across geographic areas. Raw totals can sometimes be misleading because geographic regions differ in population, size, and number of customers.
Suppose two states have different numbers of visitors and conversions. Comparing only the number of conversions may not show which state has a stronger conversion rate.
A conversion rate can be calculated as:
Conversion Rate = (Conversions / Visitors) * 100For example, State A has 1,000 conversions from 10,000 visitors, while State B has 600 conversions from 3,000 visitors.
| State | Visitors | Conversions | Conversion Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| State A | 10000 | 1000 | 10% |
| State B | 3000 | 600 | 20% |
Although State A has more conversions, State B has a higher conversion rate. A filled map using the rate can reveal this difference more clearly than a map showing raw conversion totals.
When comparing regions with different populations or sizes, consider suitable rates or per-capita measures where relevant. Clearly document the denominator and calculation used.
Filters allow users to focus a filled map on specific records, reporting periods, categories, or geographic regions.
For dashboards, filters can help users investigate one year, product category, or geographic area at a time. Ensure that the map title and tooltips accurately reflect the filtered data.
A geographic hierarchy organizes location fields into levels, such as Country, State, and City. It can help users navigate from a broad geographic view to a more detailed level.
Country
└── State/Province
└── CityFilled maps are most appropriate at geographic levels for which Tableau has usable boundaries. City-level analysis may be better represented by a symbol map if individual city points are the intended focus.
Tableau's Show Me panel provides a quick way to choose a suitable visualization based on the selected fields.
If the filled map option is unavailable, verify that your selected fields and geographic roles are appropriate. You can also create the map manually by adding a geographic field and selecting Map from the Marks type menu.
A filled map can be combined with other worksheets in a dashboard to provide a complete view of regional performance.
An interactive dashboard can help managers investigate regional patterns and compare geographic performance with other business indicators.
| Problem | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| No map appears | The field is not recognized as geographic data. | Assign the appropriate geographic role and verify the location values. |
| Map displays circles instead of filled areas | The current mark type is a symbol or circle. | Change the Marks type to Map or select a suitable filled map through Show Me. |
| Some regions are missing | Locations are unsupported, misspelled, or ambiguous. | Review unknown locations, standardize names, and add geographic context. |
| Colors do not change by region | The measure or dimension has not been added to Color. | Drag the intended field to Color on the Marks card. |
| Wrong sales values appear | The aggregation or level of detail is incorrect. | Check SUM, AVG, COUNT, filters, and the underlying data. |
| Labels overlap | There is insufficient space for all labels. | Show fewer labels or use tooltips. |
| Similar regions have confusing colors | The selected palette has insufficient contrast. | Choose a clearer palette and verify the legend. |
| Raw totals create misleading comparisons | Regions differ in population, size, or number of customers. | Consider an appropriate rate, percentage, or per-capita measure. |
| Custom regions cannot be displayed | The required boundaries are not available through built-in geocoding. | Use supported spatial files or another appropriate geographic mapping method. |
Project Objective: Build a filled map to analyze sales and profit across Indian states.
By completing this project, you will learn to build filled maps, apply color encoding, configure tooltips and filters, validate aggregations, and interpret geographical business patterns.
A filled map colors geographic areas, such as states or countries, to represent measures or categories.
A filled map is also commonly called a choropleth map.
It helps users compare data across geographic regions and identify regional patterns.
Add a recognized geographic field to a worksheet, change the Marks type to Map, and place a measure or dimension on Color.
A filled map colors geographic areas, while a symbol map uses symbols at geographic points.
Drag Sales to Color on the Marks card of a filled map.
Yes. A dimension such as Region or Performance Category can assign colors to geographic areas according to category.
A choropleth map represents data across geographic areas using different fill colors or color intensities.
Geographic roles tell Tableau how to interpret location fields and help it identify recognized geographic locations.
The Color shelf controls the color of marks based on a field or selected formatting options.
The Marks type may be set to a symbol-based type. Change it to Map or choose the filled map option when available.
Use a rate when the comparison should account for differences in population, number of customers, visitors, or another relevant denominator.
A tooltip displays additional details when a user hovers over a geographic area.
A sequential palette represents values from low to high. A diverging palette highlights values on opposite sides of a meaningful midpoint.
Yes. Filled maps can be combined with charts, KPIs, filters, and dashboard actions for interactive geographical analysis.
The geographic names may be invalid, ambiguous, unsupported, or missing from the dataset.
Aggregation determines how Tableau combines records for each geographic area, such as calculating total sales or average order value.
It may not be the best choice for individual point locations, highly precise point-level comparisons, or data without usable geographic boundaries.
Creating Filled Maps in Tableau is an effective way to analyze geographical patterns and compare performance across regions. By using recognized geographic fields, the Map mark type, appropriate color encoding, labels, tooltips, and filters, users can build clear regional visualizations. Filled maps are particularly useful for comparing sales, profit, percentages, rates, and other aggregated data across countries, states, and supported geographic areas. Correct geographic roles, reliable data, and suitable measures are essential for producing meaningful results.
