# How to use the Makepoint Spatial function in Tableau Desktop 2019.2 and newer.

> This is content from just-tim, the data-and-analytics channel by Tim Ngwena (formerly 'Tableau Tim'). Tim has 12+ years of hands-on BI experience and covers Tableau most of all, plus Power BI, Looker, Hex, SQL and data modelling, the analytics industry, and the craft of doing the job — always tool-agnostic and honest about the trade-offs.

- **Author:** Tim Ngwena (just-tim, https://just-tim.com/about)
- **Published:** 2020-01-10
- **Format:** Video · 6 min watch · transcript available
- **Topics:** Data visualisation
- **Tools:** Tableau (calculated fields, makepoint, maps)
- **Canonical:** https://just-tim.com/posts/how-to-use-the-makepoint-spatial-function-in-tableau-desktop-2019-2-and-newer
- **Watch:** https://www.youtu.be/tM0mMsbU-fg

I walk through the MAKEPOINT spatial function introduced in Tableau Desktop 2019.2, using a pirate map to explain coordinates and then a large Chicago taxi dataset to demonstrate the function in practice. I show how to build a spatial point from latitude and longitude pairs and how to duplicate the calculation to plot pickup and drop-off points.

## Key takeaways

- MAKEPOINT lets you build a spatial point object from a pair of latitude and longitude values, useful when you don't have a recognised geographic field.
- You can use Tableau's calculation assistant menu (the small arrow on the right) to autocomplete the MAKEPOINT syntax and see argument hints.
- MAKEPOINT works at the data level, so each row's coordinates render as a separate point without adding extra fields to the level of detail.
- Duplicating an existing MAKEPOINT field and swapping the latitude/longitude inputs is a fast way to create a second point field, such as pickup versus drop-off.
- Two MAKEPOINT fields won't overlay automatically because of the mapping type; drawing a line between them requires the separate MAKELINE feature.

## Chapters

- 0:00 Coordinates and mapping basics
- 1:38 Loading the Chicago taxi dataset
- 2:30 Building a MAKEPOINT calculation
- 4:42 Duplicating for pickup points

Watch the full video, read the transcript and use chapter deep-links on the page: https://just-tim.com/posts/how-to-use-the-makepoint-spatial-function-in-tableau-desktop-2019-2-and-newer

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just-tim — Data and analytics, with a point of view. · https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HYxRWmaNlJux-X7rNLZyw · https://twitter.com/TableauTim · https://www.linkedin.com/in/timngwena