Visualize Dynamics NAV Data in Tableau

The CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics NAV enables you to access live Dynamics NAV data in business intelligence tools like Tableau. In this article, you will integrate Dynamics NAV data into a dashboard that reflects changes to Dynamics NAV data in real time.

The CData ODBC drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Dynamics NAV data in Tableau due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from Tableau to Dynamics NAV, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Dynamics NAV and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can visualize and analyze Dynamics NAV data using native Tableau data types.

Connect to Dynamics NAV as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Before you can connect, OData Services will need to be enabled on the server. Once OData Services are enabled, you will be able to query any Services that are published on the server.

The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Dynamics NAV user credentials. In addition, specify a URL to a valid Dynamics NAV server organization root and a ServerInstance. If there is not a Service Default Company for the server, set the Company as well.

When you configure the DSN, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

Add Dynamics NAV Data to a Dashboard

1. Click Connect to Data -> More Servers -> Other Databases (ODBC).
   Select the CData Data Source Name (for example: CData DynamicsNAV Source).
2. In the Database menu, select CData.
3. In the Table box, enter a table name or click New Custom SQL to enter an SQL query. This article retrieves the Customer table.
4. Drag the table onto the join area. At this point, you can include multiple tables, leveraging the built-in SQL engine to process complex data requests. 👁 A connection to a single table. (Google Sheets is shown.)
   
5. In the Connection menu, select the Live option, so that you skip loading a copy of the data into Tableau and instead work on real-time data. The optimized data processing native to CData ODBC drivers enables unmatched performance in live connectivity.
6. Click the tab for your worksheet. Columns are listed as Dimensions and Measures, depending on the data type. The CData driver discovers data types automatically, allowing you to leverage the powerful data processing and visualization features of Tableau.
7. Drop the Name column in the Dimensions pane onto the dashboard. When you select dimensions, Tableau builds a query to the driver. The results are grouped based on that dimension. In Tableau, the raw query is automatically modified as you select dimensions and measures.

8. Drag the Prices_Including_VAT column in the Measures field onto the Detail and Color buttons. Tableau executes the following query:

   SELECT Name, SUM(Prices_Including_VAT) FROM Customer GROUP BY Name
   

   When you select a measure, Tableau executes a command to the driver to calculate a summary function, such as SUM, AVG, etc., on the grouped values. The SQL engine (embedded within the driver) is leveraged to process the aggregation of the data, where needed, providing a seamless experience in Tableau, regardless of the data source.

   To change the summary function, open the Prices_Including_VAT menu and select the summary you want in the Measure command.

   👁 A simple visualization that shows the latest data.
   

9. You can create other charts using dimensions and measures to build SQL queries visually:

   👁 A dashboard with several visualizations. The SQL query that corresponds to each chart is shown next to the chart. (Google Sheets is shown.)
   

With the CData ODBC Driver for Dynamics NAV, you get live connectivity to your Dynamics NAV data, allowing you to build real-time charts, graphs, and more.