Visualize Tableau CRM Analytics Data in Tableau

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

The CData ODBC drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Tableau CRM Analytics data in Tableau due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from Tableau to Tableau CRM Analytics, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Tableau CRM Analytics 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 Tableau CRM Analytics data using native Tableau data types.

Connect to Tableau CRM Analytics 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.

Tableau CRM Analytics uses the OAuth 2 authentication standard. Obtain the OAuthClientId and OAuthClientSecret by registering an app with Tableau CRM Analytics.

See the Getting Started section of the Help documentation for an authentication guide.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

If the connected Salesforce org has MFA enforcement enabled, set MFACode to the time-based one-time passcode (TOTP) generated by your authenticator app (such as Salesforce Authenticator or Google Authenticator). MFACode applies alongside the standard OAuth flow.

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 Tableau CRM Analytics Data to a Dashboard

1. Click Connect to Data -> More Servers -> Other Databases (ODBC).
   Select the CData Data Source Name (for example: CData TableauCRM 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 Dataset_Opportunity 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 CloseDate column in the Measures field onto the Detail and Color buttons. Tableau executes the following query:

   SELECT Name, SUM(CloseDate) FROM Dataset_Opportunity 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 CloseDate 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 Tableau CRM Analytics, you get live connectivity to your Tableau CRM Analytics data, allowing you to build real-time charts, graphs, and more.