Is there any way to show a Tableau workbook in Confluence without using Tableau server?

[Ben Chinnery]

It looks like people have found a way to show a Tableau workbook in Confluence (using HTML/javascript with an HTML gadget or one of the gadgets in the market place) once it is put onto a Tableau server. Is there a way to show a Tableau workbook in Confluence if it is saved on a local or global drive?

[jasoooon · Accepted solution]

Hi Ben,

As someone who administers Tableau Server, this is something I have explored many times, but maybe from a slightly different perspective than yours. It sounds like you may not have access to Tableau Server, so using it at any point in this process is not an option. Instead, I think you are looking for a way to get that embedded view, like Daniel shared above, by using a TWB file only.

The challenge is that in the Tableau line of products, Tableau Server is the only product that is capable of generating the HTML/Javascript required to embed live/dynamic views (you can always get a static image, but I'm sure you already know that has limited value and comes with manual work). That being the case, the answer to whether or not you can embed a live view from a Tableau workbook without Tableau Server is typically a "no." There are two possible options I can think of, one of which I wouldn't recommend:

1. Tableau workbooks are XML, so maybe you could find or write a script to extract everything you need and generate HTML/Javascript (not recommended or practical).
2. If the workbook data is not sensitive, you can publish it to Tableau Public for free and embed from there. The downside is that anyone can see your workbook.

This probably isn't the answer you are hoping for, but this is Tableau's intended use as I understand it. If it were easy to embed these views anywhere, why would people pay for Tableau Server?

Good luck and let me know if I misunderstood your question.,

Jason

[Ben Chinnery]

Hello,

It looks like we've had similar thoughts and this addresses the question directly.

Thank you.

[jasoooon]

You're welcome. Glad I could help!

[Daniel Eads {unmonitored account}]

Tableau is a bit of a pain because most of the views you'll create need to be exported regularly. And it's expensive, so you've either got a tradeoff of "lots of people with expensive licenses" to view directly from the Tableau server or "the view is always out of date".

Add to the frustration of many browsers not supporting file:/// locations and it's probably better to pull straight from Tableau if you've already got licenses assigned. At my organization, we do embed from Tableau server using the Bob Swift HTML for Confluence macro. 

For your convenience, here's our documented steps to embed a view:

1. Log into your Tableau server
2. Open the view you want to embed
   
3. Click the Share button along the top of the view
   
4. Select and copy the code provided under "Embed code"
   
5. Create a Confluence page (or edit one you want to embed the view on)
6. Click the Macro menu and select "Other Macros"
   
7. Search for "html" and select the HTML macro
   
8. Paste the code you copied from Tableau into the macro body and save the page

If someone tries to see your views but is not logged into Tableau, they will be prompted to login and then the views will load.

[Natasha Denny]

Hi - I'm following the above instructions, but it is not rendering on the page. Any suggestions?

[Luk Lau]

Hi, Can the embedding be done with standard HTML Macro? Thanks :)

[Jitender_kumar]

HI Daniel, i tried using your above option however, getting an error message, so unsure how to resolve this.

Error rendering macro 'html'

Space with key '<script type='text/javascript' src='https' not found.

thx

[Ashley McLellan]

Not sure if anyone is interested but I did manage to embed a Tableau dashboard into Confluence Cloud using iFrame

First you need to get the embed code from the dashboard and the content between the double quotes and after the 'src=', goes into the iFrame URL eg: 

https://public.tableau.com/views/DataStory-LES-Rent-Desktop/ReportCardDashboard-Rent-Desktop?:language=en&amp;:display_count=y&amp;publish=yes&amp;:toolbar=n&amp;:origin=viz_share_link&amp;:size=660,1&amp;:embed=y&amp;:showVizHome=n&amp;:bootstrapWhenNotified=y&amp;:tabs=n&amp;state=&amp;Category=House&amp;NumberOfBedrooms=ALL&amp;:apiID=host0

The width and height are listed in the embed code (just prior to the 'scr') as well and can be set within the iFrame.

Took a bit of trial and error but it meant I didnt have to pay for the add-on, so I am happy :)

EDIT: I think I got lucky with the above embed code as not all dashboards are that simple - changing the "DataStory-LES-Rent-Desktop/ReportCardDashboard-Rent-Desktop" to your dashboard seems to work however

[keisha.winter]

Thanks for this hack. It worked!!

Note to others...this is what I did to find correct URL: In Tableau Server

1. Go to View or dashboard you want to embed in the iFrame

2. Open Dev Tools (F12), Sources

3. Page - Find Workbook/View name and Expand - Find views/yourviewname Expand

4. right Click and 'Copy Link Address'. Paste into IFrame URL

[Sandesh Sharma]

Hello Keisha, Can you please elaborate the Step 3? 

[Business Intelligence]

I think it still need to provide a tableau's credential before user able to view the dashboard right?

[Ben Chinnery]

I appreciate both answers provided so far.  However, I was aware of both possibilities and while they are options they aren't direct solutions to the question. Unless somebody else is aware of another solution it looks like we'll need to keep using Tableau reader.

[AnnWorley]

Hi Ben,

We have discussed at length the options for displaying files from shares (mapped drives, NAS, SAN, etc) on this thread: 
Confluence: How to place a link to a file on a server share in a confluence page?

There are a lot of options so I hesitate to repeat them.

Thanks,

Ann