how to create a set based on a measure value in Tableau?

Question

This is a very simple thing and I can't believe Tableau makes it so hard. I have a bunch of fields, and one measure has many zeroes. I just want to create a subset of the data where this measure > 0.

I can do it with a filter, but I since I will use it several times, it makes sense to create a set once and keep using it. Am I wrong to want to do that? Because I am finding it's just easier to just keep creating the filter in different sheets instead of trying to figure out the set.

I keep referring to this page, but they start out by telling you to right click on a dimension and create a set.

https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/sortgroup_sets_create.htm

I keep ending up here. What does it mean to apply a condition where the sum > 0? I want a set with any value > 0. That's not the same as a sum.

Answer 1

Actually your use case is not appropriate for sets. Sets in tableau work on IN/OUT principle. So the sets can be used as a T/F condition as well as used to differentiate the members IN and OUT of that set e.g. by differentiating these by colors.

What I can understand is that you just want to create a Calculating field which you can use as a ready filter as well as for differentiation also.

To illustrate let's take the following sample data

Now create a calculated field with the following calculation

[Measure] > 0

(Note- this would exclude negative values also. If your data set has negative values and you just want to exclude 0 values use <> instead.)

This calculated field will serve your purpose. See

and

Better seen with average

and

Good Luck.