Now that we've considered how formatting works in Tableau, let's take a look at some ways in which formatting can add value to a visualization.
When you apply custom formatting, always ask yourself what the formatting adds to the understanding of the data. Is it making the visualization clearer and easier to understand? Or is it just adding clutter and noise?
In general, try a minimalistic approach. Remove everything from the visualization that isn't necessary. Emphasize important values, text, and marks, while de-emphasizing those that are only providing support or context.
Consider the following visualization, all using default formatting:
The default format works very well. But compare that to this visualization:
Both the preceding diagrams are showing sales by the quarter, filtered to the office supplies department. With the...