Tableau Calculated Fields and LODs 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which LOD expression computes a value at a coarser level of detail than the view, ignoring the dimensions in the view except those listed?
- FIXED (Correct answer)
- INCLUDE
- EXCLUDE
- RAWSQL
Correct answer: FIXED
FIXED computes a value using only the specified dimensions, regardless of any other dimensions in the view.
Question 2: In the order of operations, where do FIXED LOD expressions get evaluated relative to dimension filters?
- Before dimension filters (Correct answer)
- After dimension filters
- Same time as measure filters
- After table calculations
Correct answer: Before dimension filters
FIXED LODs are computed before dimension filters are applied, so those filters do not affect them unless added to context.
Question 3: Which function would you use to convert a string '2026-01-15' into a date value in a calculated field?
- DATEPARSE or DATE (Correct answer)
- STR()
- ISDATE()
- DATENAME()
Correct answer: DATEPARSE or DATE
DATE() or DATEPARSE() converts string input into a proper date data type.
Question 4: What does the calculated field SUM([Sales]) / SUM([Profit]) produce compared to AVG([Sales]/[Profit])?
- An aggregate ratio of totals vs. an average of row ratios (Correct answer)
- Identical results always
- A syntax error
- Both are row-level
Correct answer: An aggregate ratio of totals vs. an average of row ratios
SUM/SUM aggregates first then divides, while AVG of row ratios averages each row's ratio—usually different values.
Question 5: Which keyword makes an INCLUDE LOD differ from the view's grain?
- It adds dimensions into the calculation not present in the view (Correct answer)
- It removes all dimensions
- It fixes a constant
- It disables aggregation
Correct answer: It adds dimensions into the calculation not present in the view
INCLUDE computes at a finer grain by adding the listed dimensions, then aggregates up to the view level.
Question 6: What is the result type of the expression IIF([Sales] > 1000, 'High', 'Low')?
- String (Correct answer)
- Boolean
- Number
- Date
Correct answer: String
IIF returns the second or third argument here, both strings, so the result is a string.
Question 7: Why might a FIXED LOD ignore a quick filter on a dashboard?
- FIXED is computed before dimension filters unless they are in context (Correct answer)
- Quick filters never affect calculations
- FIXED only works on measures
- Quick filters run after table calcs only
Correct answer: FIXED is computed before dimension filters unless they are in context
Because FIXED runs before dimension filters, those filters must be added to context to influence the FIXED result.
Tableau Calculated Fields and LODs 2
Which LOD expression computes a value at a coarser level of detail than the view, ignoring the dimensions in the view except those listed?