What calculation should a Data Analyst use to calculate total sales per region?

To calculate total sales per region effectively, a Data Analyst should use a fixed level of detail calculation, which in this case is expressed as {FIXED [Region]: SUM(Sales)}. This calculation ensures that the total sales are aggregated at the region level, regardless of the context of the surrounding dimensions in the visualization.

The FIXED function allows the analyst to specify that Tableau should compute the sum of sales specifically for each unique region. This means that even if there are other dimensions in the view (like product categories or time periods), the calculation will focus solely on the sales corresponding to each region. Therefore, for each region displayed, Tableau will calculate the total sales associated with that region and present it accurately.

Using the SUM function alone would provide a grand total of sales across all regions but would not break down the total by region. The AVERAGE function focuses on mean sales and does not contribute to understanding total sales per region. COUNT(Sales) would return the total number of transactions or records instead of summing the dollar amounts for sales, which does not answer the question of calculating total sales. Thus, the fixed calculation is the most appropriate and accurate method for achieving the desired outcome.