Creating a Tableau Connection

Learn how to connect Curator to your Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud site using REST API for seamless dashboard integration.

Curator leverages Tableau’s REST API to communicate with your Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud Site to retrieve data related to your dashboards and users, so it can display the right information to the right people. To connect Curator to your Tableau Server/Tableau Cloud Site:

1. Login to the backend of your Curator instance (e.g. http://curatorexample.com/backend).
2. Navigate to the Integration > Connections section from the left-hand menu.
3. Click on the New Connection button at the top of the page.
4. Fill out the form, and select Tableau from the platform dropdown to reveal the connection details form below.
5. Expand the Tableau Connection section, select whether Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud, and enter in your Tableau Server URL or select your Tableau Cloud host, respectively. Once the server check has been confirmed, you can begin filling out the authentication details using either a username + password or a Personal Access Token (PAT) using the steps below:

Tableau Cloud: Finding Your Host and Site Content URL

When connecting to Tableau Cloud, both the host and the site content URL are derived from the URL you see in your browser after signing in to Tableau Cloud. Split that URL into two pieces: the host (the pod, selected from the dropdown) and the site content URL (the value entered into the Tableau Server Site (Custom) field).

Browser URL	Host (dropdown)	Site content URL
https://us-east-1.online.tableau.com/#/site/CuratorDemo/home	us-east-1.online.tableau.com	CuratorDemo
https://10ax.online.tableau.com/#/site/Marketing/workbooks	10ax.online.tableau.com	Marketing
https://prod-uk-a.online.tableau.com/#/site/SalesReports/projects	prod-uk-a.online.tableau.com	SalesReports

The Server URL must be the origin only — the scheme plus the host, with no /#/site/... path appended. Pasting the full browser URL (including /#/site/CuratorDemo) into the Server URL field is the most common cause of a failed server check for Tableau Cloud.

If your pod does not appear in the host dropdown, select Custom and enter the host portion of your browser URL (everything between https:// and the next /). Then enter your site content URL into the Tableau Server Site (Custom) field as shown above.

If the server check still fails after confirming both values, see Tableau Connection Troubleshooting for next steps.

Note: Only 1 connection to a specific Tableau Server URL or Tableau Cloud host can be made at a time.

Tableau Connections

Tableau Server / Tableau Cloud: Personal Access Token (PAT)

This connection-type is more stable and preferred over username and password due to changes in Tableau’s APIs.

1. Enable the toggle for Use Personal Access Token for REST API Connection in the “Tableau Connection” section
2. Ensure you have created up Personal Access token on Tableau Server, with at least a site administrator role and that you have the name and token.
3. Fill out the fields below, and once the confirmation check has been successful, save your settings:
   • Personal Access Token Name PAT Token Name
   • Personal Access Token PAT Token
   • Tableau Server Site Tableau Server Site*
   • Tableau Server Site (Custom) Manually entered Tableau Server site*

Username & Password connection (not recommended - Tableau Server only)

This connection type is not recommended and should only be used when absolutely required.

Fill out the fields below, and once the confirmation check has been successful, save your settings:

• Service Username Tableau Server Admin Username
• Service Password Tableau Server Admin Password
• Tableau Server Site Tableau Server Site*
• Tableau Server Site (Custom) Manually entered Tableau Server site*

Tableau Server Site (Custom)

Before saving your Tableau Connection settings for the the first time, when switching Tableau Servers, or when connecting to Tableau Cloud you may need to use the “Tableau Server Site (Custom)” field.

1. Select “Custom” in the Tableau Server Site dropdown to enable the Tableau Server Site (Custom) field.

2. Manually enter the name of the site you wish to connect to

   Tableau Server Site (Custom) The value is derived from the url on Tableau Server. For example: using https://tableau.interworks.com/#/site/CuratorDemo, you would enter CuratorDemo.

3. Save your settings.

Note: If you try to connect to a Custom Site with a Server Administrator account and get an error, make sure the user account is specifically added to the Tableau Site you are trying to connect to. Even though it is a Server Administrator and has frontend access to everything, it needs to be added to the site to get REST API access.

Supported Tableau Server Versions

Curator supports Tableau Server version 2019.1 and on. This includes the latest version of Tableau Server as well. Due to the fact that each new version of Tableau Server includes the older versions of the APIs we can support the latest version.

In some cases people confuse support of a Tableau Server version with inclusion of new Tableau features. We strive to integrate many of these new features when possible. Many times this is dependent on the API support. If there is a feature you are interested in, or would like us to integrate, please reach out to our support team.