Tableau Color Palettes with Many Colors (40+)

Eric Parker
Tableau Dashboards

By: Eric Parker

Pro Headshot.jpg

Eric Parker lives in Seattle and has been teaching Tableau and Alteryx since 2014. He's helped thousands of students solve their most pressing problems. If you have a question, feel free to reach out to him directly via email.

I teach classes on visual best practices so I know that it’s a bad idea to include more than 5-7 colors in a single visual display. Our short-term memory generally only allows us to keep track of up to 7 variables at a time. Ever had someone tell you their phone number only to immediately forget what they said or mix it up? That’s what I’m talking about.

I’m also enough of a realist to know that all rules were made to be broken. Long time readers of the blog know that one of my hobbies is metal detecting. I always enjoyed finding coins on the beach as a kid and got back into it a few years ago.

Because I’m simultaneously a data nerd, I track my metal detecting finds in a data source. It includes a variety of fields: what I found, how many, where, when, etc. One of the visuals I look at is how many silver coins (i.e. the metal composition of the coin contains silver) that my brother and I have found by month and where those coins came from.

Here’s what the visual looks like without “Place” added to color.

144-1.png

And here is what it looks like after Place is added to color.

144-2.png

It becomes confusing because Tableau automatically used the “Tableau 20” color palette. There are nearly 40 sites listed in this data source which means colors are getting used twice.

Take the two dark purple sections as an example. You can’t tell which place names corresponds to which bars.

144-3.png

The only hope is to highlight the bars using the color legend to learn which values relate to that location.

144-4.png

I was flying around between color legends handpicking tons of colors and then had a thought. Why not create a color palette that had 40+ colors?

It’s not perfect, but here is what the visual looks like after using the 40 value color legend.

144-5.png

The confusion around which color relates to which place is largely gone.

If you’ve never created a custom color palette for Tableau, you’ll want to check out this post before reading further.

One of the biggest technical limitations I found with this approach is that Tableau’s Edit Colors dialogue box is limited to show only 20 colors at a time. This means you are flying blind when applying more than 20 colors.

Initially I found this to be a nuisance because it clumped like colors together.

 
144-6.png
 

Eventually I realized that I could scramble the colors before pulling them into Tableau so I wasn’t stuck with 20 shades of blue in a row.

Below, I’ve included the code you can input into the preferences file (see above blog post if you don’t know what I’m talking about) for both the “Tableau 40” color palette and a palette with 216 colors if you want to get really crazy. Thanks for reading along and if you want help with your own design, drop me a line or sign up for an office hour and I can help!

Color Palettes

<color-palette name="Tableau 40" type="regular" >

<color>#03579b</color>

<color>#0488d1</color>

<color>#03a9f4</color>

<color>#4fc3f7</color>

<color>#b3e5fc</color>

<color>#253137</color>

<color>#455a64</color>

<color>#607d8b</color>

<color>#90a4ae</color>

<color>#cfd8dc</color>

<color>#19237e</color>

<color>#303f9f</color>

<color>#3f51b5</color>

<color>#7986cb</color>

<color>#c5cae9</color>

<color>#4a198c</color>

<color>#7b21a2</color>

<color>#9c27b0</color>

<color>#ba68c8</color>

<color>#e1bee7</color>

<color>#88144f</color>

<color>#c21f5b</color>

<color>#e92663</color>

<color>#f06292</color>

<color>#f8bbd0</color>

<color>#bf360c</color>

<color>#e64a18</color>

<color>#ff5722</color>

<color>#ff8a65</color>

<color>#ffccbc</color>

<color>#f67f17</color>

<color>#fbc02c</color>

<color>#ffec3a</color>

<color>#fff177</color>

<color>#fdf9c3</color>

<color>#33691d</color>

<color>#689f38</color>

<color>#8bc34a</color>

<color>#aed581</color>

<color>#ddedc8</color>

</color-palette>

 

<color-palette name="Tableau 40 Randomized" type="regular" >

<color>#c21f5b</color>

<color>#fbc02c</color>

<color>#ff5722</color>

<color>#bf360c</color>

<color>#fdf9c3</color>

<color>#c5cae9</color>

<color>#fff177</color>

<color>#f8bbd0</color>

<color>#e1bee7</color>

<color>#3f51b5</color>

<color>#aed581</color>

<color>#253137</color>

<color>#ba68c8</color>

<color>#ffccbc</color>

<color>#9c27b0</color>

<color>#90a4ae</color>

<color>#e92663</color>

<color>#0488d1</color>

<color>#7986cb</color>

<color>#e64a18</color>

<color>#03a9f4</color>

<color>#f06292</color>

<color>#f67f17</color>

<color>#19237e</color>

<color>#03579b</color>

<color>#cfd8dc</color>

<color>#ddedc8</color>

<color>#689f38</color>

<color>#607d8b</color>

<color>#b3e5fc</color>

<color>#303f9f</color>

<color>#33691d</color>

<color>#455a64</color>

<color>#88144f</color>

<color>#8bc34a</color>

<color>#ff8a65</color>

<color>#4a198c</color>

<color>#7b21a2</color>

<color>#4fc3f7</color>

<color>#ffec3a</color>

</color-palette>

<color-palette name="Tableau 216" type="regular" >

<color>#000000</color>

<color>#333333</color>

<color>#666666</color>

<color>#999999</color>

<color>#CCCCCC</color>

<color>#FFFFFF</color>

<color>#996666</color>

<color>#663333</color>

<color>#CC9999</color>

<color>#993333</color>

<color>#CC6666</color>

<color>#CC3333</color>

<color>#330000</color>

<color>#660000</color>

<color>#990000</color>

<color>#CC0000</color>

<color>#FF0000</color>

<color>#FF3333</color>

<color>#FF6666</color>

<color>#FF9999</color>

<color>#FFCCCC</color>

<color>#FF3300</color>

<color>#CC3300</color>

<color>#FF6633</color>

<color>#CC6633</color>

<color>#993300</color>

<color>#FF9966</color>

<color>#FF6600</color>

<color>#996633</color>

<color>#CC9966</color>

<color>#663300</color>

<color>#CC6600</color>

<color>#FF9933</color>

<color>#FFCC99</color>

<color>#FF9900</color>

<color>#CC9933</color>

<color>#996600</color>

<color>#FFCC66</color>

<color>#CC9900</color>

<color>#FFCC33</color>

<color>#FFCC00</color>

<color>#999966</color>

<color>#666633</color>

<color>#CCCC99</color>

<color>#999933</color>

<color>#CCCC66</color>

<color>#CCCC33</color>

<color>#333300</color>

<color>#666600</color>

<color>#999900</color>

<color>#CCCC00</color>

<color>#FFFF00</color>

<color>#FFFF33</color>

<color>#FFFF66</color>

<color>#FFFF99</color>

<color>#FFFFCC</color>

<color>#CCFF00</color>

<color>#99CC00</color>

<color>#CCFF33</color>

<color>#99CC33</color>

<color>#669900</color>

<color>#CCFF66</color>

<color>#99FF00</color>

<color>#669933</color>

<color>#99CC66</color>

<color>#336600</color>

<color>#66CC00</color>

<color>#99FF33</color>

<color>#CCFF99</color>

<color>#66FF00</color>

<color>#66CC33</color>

<color>#339900</color>

<color>#99FF66</color>

<color>#33CC00</color>

<color>#66FF33</color>

<color>#33FF00</color>

<color>#669966</color>

<color>#336633</color>

<color>#99CC99</color>

<color>#339933</color>

<color>#66CC66</color>

<color>#33CC33</color>

<color>#003300</color>

<color>#006600</color>

<color>#009900</color>

<color>#00CC00</color>

<color>#00FF00</color>

<color>#33FF33</color>

<color>#66FF66</color>

<color>#99FF99</color>

<color>#CCFFCC</color>

<color>#00FF33</color>

<color>#00CC33</color>

<color>#33FF66</color>

<color>#33CC66</color>

<color>#009933</color>

<color>#66FF99</color>

<color>#00FF66</color>

<color>#339966</color>

<color>#66CC99</color>

<color>#006633</color>

<color>#00CC66</color>

<color>#33FF99</color>

<color>#99FFCC</color>

<color>#00FF99</color>

<color>#33CC99</color>

<color>#009966</color>

<color>#66FFCC</color>

<color>#00CC99</color>

<color>#33FFCC</color>

<color>#00FFCC</color>

<color>#669999</color>

<color>#336666</color>

<color>#99CCCC</color>

<color>#339999</color>

<color>#66CCCC</color>

<color>#33CCCC</color>

<color>#003333</color>

<color>#006666</color>

<color>#009999</color>

<color>#00CCCC</color>

<color>#00FFFF</color>

<color>#33FFFF</color>

<color>#66FFFF</color>

<color>#99FFFF</color>

<color>#CCFFFF</color>

<color>#00CCFF</color>

<color>#0099CC</color>

<color>#33CCFF</color>

<color>#3399CC</color>

<color>#006699</color>

<color>#66CCFF</color>

<color>#0099FF</color>

<color>#336699</color>

<color>#6699CC</color>

<color>#003366</color>

<color>#0066CC</color>

<color>#3399FF</color>

<color>#99CCFF</color>

<color>#0066FF</color>

<color>#3366CC</color>

<color>#003399</color>

<color>#6699FF</color>

<color>#0033CC</color>

<color>#3366FF</color>

<color>#0033FF</color>

<color>#666699</color>

<color>#333366</color>

<color>#9999CC</color>

<color>#333399</color>

<color>#6666CC</color>

<color>#3333CC</color>

<color>#000033</color>

<color>#000066</color>

<color>#000099</color>

<color>#0000CC</color>

<color>#0000FF</color>

<color>#3333FF</color>

<color>#6666FF</color>

<color>#9999FF</color>

<color>#CCCCFF</color>

<color>#3300FF</color>

<color>#3300CC</color>

<color>#6633FF</color>

<color>#6633CC</color>

<color>#330099</color>

<color>#9966FF</color>

<color>#6600FF</color>

<color>#663399</color>

<color>#9966CC</color>

<color>#330066</color>

<color>#6600CC</color>

<color>#9933FF</color>

<color>#CC99FF</color>

<color>#9900FF</color>

<color>#9933CC</color>

<color>#660099</color>

<color>#CC66FF</color>

<color>#9900CC</color>

<color>#CC33FF</color>

<color>#CC00FF</color>

<color>#996699</color>

<color>#663366</color>

<color>#CC99CC</color>

<color>#993399</color>

<color>#CC66CC</color>

<color>#CC33CC</color>

<color>#330033</color>

<color>#660066</color>

<color>#990099</color>

<color>#CC00CC</color>

<color>#FF00FF</color>

<color>#FF33FF</color>

<color>#FF66FF</color>

<color>#FF99FF</color>

<color>#FFCCFF</color>

<color>#FF00CC</color>

<color>#CC0099</color>

<color>#FF33CC</color>

<color>#CC3399</color>

<color>#990066</color>

<color>#FF66CC</color>

<color>#FF0099</color>

<color>#993366</color>

<color>#CC6699</color>

<color>#660033</color>

<color>#CC0066</color>

<color>#FF3399</color>

<color>#FF99CC</color>

<color>#FF0066</color>

<color>#CC3366</color>

<color>#990033</color>

<color>#FF6699</color>

<color>#CC0033</color>

<color>#FF3366</color>

<color>#FF0033</color>

</color-palette>

<color-palette name="Tableau 216 Randomized" type="regular" >

<color>#999999</color>

<color>#CCFF00</color>

<color>#336600</color>

<color>#00FFCC</color>

<color>#CCFF66</color>

<color>#009999</color>

<color>#669933</color>

<color>#6633FF</color>

<color>#FF3366</color>

<color>#993300</color>

<color>#3399FF</color>

<color>#CC6633</color>

<color>#333366</color>

<color>#CC66FF</color>

<color>#006666</color>

<color>#00FFFF</color>

<color>#0033FF</color>

<color>#336633</color>

<color>#CC0066</color>

<color>#CC6600</color>

<color>#3333CC</color>

<color>#CC0033</color>

<color>#99FF99</color>

<color>#CCFF33</color>

<color>#CCCC66</color>

<color>#660033</color>

<color>#9966FF</color>

<color>#006699</color>

<color>#99FFCC</color>

<color>#00FF66</color>

<color>#FFCCCC</color>

<color>#FF3399</color>

<color>#FFCC66</color>

<color>#FF0066</color>

<color>#33FF00</color>

<color>#000000</color>

<color>#FF6699</color>

<color>#66FFFF</color>

<color>#339999</color>

<color>#CC33FF</color>

<color>#0066CC</color>

<color>#FF33CC</color>

<color>#99CCFF</color>

<color>#CC3300</color>

<color>#99CC99</color>

<color>#009900</color>

<color>#9966CC</color>

<color>#CC9999</color>

<color>#339933</color>

<color>#000066</color>

<color>#6600FF</color>

<color>#006633</color>

<color>#33FFFF</color>

<color>#33CC99</color>

<color>#00FF33</color>

<color>#663333</color>

<color>#330033</color>

<color>#000033</color>

<color>#9933CC</color>

<color>#666600</color>

<color>#669966</color>

<color>#990033</color>

<color>#66CC33</color>

<color>#33FF99</color>

<color>#666699</color>

<color>#00CC99</color>

<color>#00CCCC</color>

<color>#FF9999</color>

<color>#996699</color>

<color>#660066</color>

<color>#663300</color>

<color>#00CC00</color>

<color>#FFFF99</color>

<color>#00CC33</color>

<color>#330000</color>

<color>#FF6666</color>

<color>#CC00CC</color>

<color>#66FF66</color>

<color>#6600CC</color>

<color>#FFFF00</color>

<color>#9999FF</color>

<color>#CC99CC</color>

<color>#CC3399</color>

<color>#66FF99</color>

<color>#9933FF</color>

<color>#FF99FF</color>

<color>#99CC00</color>

<color>#00CCFF</color>

<color>#CC0099</color>

<color>#CC3333</color>

<color>#3366FF</color>

<color>#33CCCC</color>

<color>#66CCCC</color>

<color>#3300CC</color>

<color>#0033CC</color>

<color>#6666CC</color>

<color>#0066FF</color>

<color>#996666</color>

<color>#CCCCCC</color>

<color>#99FF66</color>

<color>#996600</color>

<color>#669999</color>

<color>#333333</color>

<color>#FFFF66</color>

<color>#9900FF</color>

<color>#333399</color>

<color>#33FF33</color>

<color>#00FF00</color>

<color>#003300</color>

<color>#66FFCC</color>

<color>#99CC33</color>

<color>#CCFFFF</color>

<color>#33FF66</color>

<color>#33CC00</color>

<color>#333300</color>

<color>#FFFF33</color>

<color>#66CC66</color>

<color>#FFCC33</color>

<color>#99CCCC</color>

<color>#999900</color>

<color>#CC0000</color>

<color>#6666FF</color>

<color>#FF66FF</color>

<color>#666666</color>

<color>#669900</color>

<color>#66FF00</color>

<color>#CC3366</color>

<color>#3366CC</color>

<color>#FF9933</color>

<color>#3399CC</color>

<color>#FF0000</color>

<color>#FF33FF</color>

<color>#FF9966</color>

<color>#CC9900</color>

<color>#FF00FF</color>

<color>#336699</color>

<color>#996633</color>

<color>#99FF00</color>

<color>#6633CC</color>

<color>#330099</color>

<color>#FFFFFF</color>

<color>#66CCFF</color>

<color>#FF3300</color>

<color>#FF0033</color>

<color>#CC99FF</color>

<color>#0000FF</color>

<color>#CC33CC</color>

<color>#CCFFCC</color>

<color>#CCCC00</color>

<color>#99FFFF</color>

<color>#003333</color>

<color>#FF0099</color>

<color>#CCCCFF</color>

<color>#660000</color>

<color>#33CCFF</color>

<color>#FF3333</color>

<color>#993399</color>

<color>#3333FF</color>

<color>#CC6699</color>

<color>#993366</color>

<color>#663366</color>

<color>#990099</color>

<color>#99CC66</color>

<color>#CC66CC</color>

<color>#FF9900</color>

<color>#9900CC</color>

<color>#006600</color>

<color>#6699CC</color>

<color>#CC9933</color>

<color>#33FFCC</color>

<color>#FF00CC</color>

<color>#0000CC</color>

<color>#33CC33</color>

<color>#FFCC99</color>

<color>#0099CC</color>

<color>#993333</color>

<color>#33CC66</color>

<color>#6699FF</color>

<color>#CCCC99</color>

<color>#00CC66</color>

<color>#FFFFCC</color>

<color>#99FF33</color>

<color>#009933</color>

<color>#003399</color>

<color>#00FF99</color>

<color>#339966</color>

<color>#666633</color>

<color>#0099FF</color>

<color>#330066</color>

<color>#FF6600</color>

<color>#339900</color>

<color>#003366</color>

<color>#990000</color>

<color>#999966</color>

<color>#FF6633</color>

<color>#990066</color>

<color>#FF66CC</color>

<color>#999933</color>

<color>#3300FF</color>

<color>#FFCC00</color>

<color>#CCFF99</color>

<color>#009966</color>

<color>#66FF33</color>

<color>#CC6666</color>

<color>#9999CC</color>

<color>#66CC00</color>

<color>#FF99CC</color>

<color>#FFCCFF</color>

<color>#000099</color>

<color>#CC00FF</color>

<color>#CC9966</color>

<color>#663399</color>

<color>#660099</color>

<color>#336666</color>

<color>#CCCC33</color>

<color>#66CC99</color>

</color-palette>

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