{"id":345,"date":"2025-03-31T20:48:56","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T03:48:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sarahpallett.com\/?p=345"},"modified":"2025-04-01T09:47:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T16:47:57","slug":"save-time-with-custom-themes-guest-blog-post-by-caroline-swiger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sarahpallett.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/31\/save-time-with-custom-themes-guest-blog-post-by-caroline-swiger\/","title":{"rendered":"Save Time with Custom Themes! Guest Blog Post by Caroline Swiger"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hey #DataFam! Let\u2019s give a warm welcome to our guest blogger this month, Caroline Swiger<\/a>! We\u2019re excited to feature her fantastic write-up on Custom Themes\u2014a must read! Dive in and enjoy Caroline\u2019s insights!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save Time with Custom Themes!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you constantly looking for ways to save time?  I think the answer for most of us is a resounding yes \u2013 in life, work, & vizzing!  I have been (not-so) patiently waiting for Custom Themes since #TC24, and with Tableau 2025.1, it is finally here!  Read on to hear about my first experience with this new feature!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are themes?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Themes refers to all stylistic and formatting choices made within a workbook. \u201cThemes\u201d have existed in Tableau for some time, but they never really did what people wanted, and have been largely ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Most of my workbooks, particularly at work, begin with time spent formatting the workbook.  I change the default font & sizes, turn off grid lines, & turn on a thicker zero line.  It is a small investment that saves me time, but one that I repeat for every dashboard.  The formatting options at the workbook level are also limited; I always find myself spending considerable time formatting throughout the viz process, from tooltips to charts to the dashboard itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are Custom Themes?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tableau Desktop & Web Authoring guide describes custom themes as the ability to quickly apply formatting choices like fonts and colors to an entire Tableau workbook via a JSON file. <\/p>\n\n\n

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What style elements are supported?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 20 style elements available in Tableau that are currently supported for custom themes in Tableau 2025.1. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Style Element<\/strong><\/td>Description<\/strong><\/td>Style Attributes<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
all<\/td>Formats all fonts across the entire workbook.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
worksheet<\/td>Formats the worksheet default font.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
worksheet-title<\/td>Formats the worksheet title font.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
tooltip<\/td>Formats the tooltip font.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
dashboard-title<\/td>Formats the dashboard title.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
story-title<\/td>Formats the story title font.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
header<\/td>Formats the header font.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
legend<\/td>Formats the legend body font & background color.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
Background \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
legend-title<\/td>Formats the legend title font on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
filter<\/td>Formats the filter body font & background color on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
Background \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
filter-title<\/td>Formats the filter title font on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
parameter-ctrl<\/td>Formats the parameter body font & background color on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
Background \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
parameter-ctrl-title<\/td>Formats the parameter control title font on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
highlighter<\/td>Formats the highlighter body font & background color on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
Background \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
highlighter-title<\/td>Formats the highlighter control title font on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 size<\/td><\/tr>
page-ctrl-title<\/td>Formats the page card title font on all worksheets.<\/td>Font \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
Font \u2013 family<\/td><\/tr>
gridline<\/td>Formats the gridlines on a view.<\/td>Line \u2013 visibility<\/td><\/tr>
Line \u2013 pattern<\/td><\/tr>
Line \u2013 width<\/td><\/tr>
Line \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
zero line<\/td>Formats the zero line on a view<\/td>Line \u2013 visibility<\/td><\/tr>
Line \u2013 pattern<\/td><\/tr>
Line \u2013 width<\/td><\/tr>
Line \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
mark<\/td>Formats the mark color on a view.<\/td>Mark \u2013 color<\/td><\/tr>
view<\/td>Formats the background color on a view.<\/td> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source: Tableau Desktop & Web Authoring Help<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Action plan!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tableau documentation online includes example code that could be used to create the JSON custom theme file.  My background is not coding-heavy, so I decided to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Create a simple viz using style elements supported with custom themes,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Export my own custom theme, &<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Import it to a new workbook to see how well it worked!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1: Format worksheet<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here is the simple Superstore worksheet I created:<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Style choices made at the workbook-level (those supported by custom themes have a \u2705!):<\/p>\n\n\n\n