Organize the Data Window

You can reorganize the items in the Data window from its default layout using folders or through sorting.

Folders

To make data sources with many fields easier to work with, you can organize the Data window items into folders. Items like fields, parameters, and sets can be grouped into folders. The Group by Folder option can be accessed from the Data window menu. Alternatively, you can also access this option from the field context menu.

When you connect to a single table in your data source, grouping by folder is enabled by default. When you connect to a data source with multiple tables, grouping by table is enabled. When the Group by Data Source Table option is selected, the dimensions and measures are grouped according to the database table they belong to. This is especially useful when you have several joined tables.

To group fields into folders:

1. In the Data window, select the fields you want to group together or right-click an empty area in the Data window.
2. Select Create Folder.
3. When prompted, name the new folder.

After you create a folder structure, you can drag fields from one folder to another or duplicate a field you want to have available in more than one folder.
To add a field to a folder:

• Drag a field on top of the folder name to add the field to the folder. If the folder is expanded, you can drag the field into the general area of the folder.

Sort

When organizing the Data window with or without folders, you can have Tableau sort the items. These Sort by options are also located in the Data window menu.

You can sort by one of the following options:

• Sort by Name – lists the dimensions and measures in alphabetical order according to their field aliases.
  
• Sort by Data Source Order – lists the dimensions and measures in the order they are listed in the underlying data source.