Connect to and Visualize Live Authorize.Net Data in Tableau Prep

Tableau is a visual analytics platform transforming the way businesses use data to solve problems. When paired with the CData Tableau Connector for Authorize.Net, you can easily get access to live Authorize.Net data within Tableau Prep. This article shows how to connect to Authorize.Net in Tableau Prep and build a simple chart.

The CData Tableau Connectors enable high-speed access to live Authorize.Net data in Tableau. Once you install the connector, you simply authenticate with Authorize.Net and you can immediately start building responsive, dynamic visualizations and dashboards. By surfacing Authorize.Net data using native Tableau data types and handling complex filters, aggregations, & other operations automatically, CData Tableau Connectors grant seamless access to Authorize.Net data.

NOTE: The CData Tableau Connectors support Tableau Prep Builder 2020.4.1 or higher. If you are using an older version of Tableau Prep Builder, you will need to use the CData Tableau Connector for Authorize.Net. If you wish to connect to Authorize.Net data in Tableau Cloud, you will need to use CData Connect.

Install the CData Tableau Connector

When you install the CData Tableau Connector for Authorize.Net, the installer should copy the TACO and JAR files to the appropriate directories. If your data source does not appear in the connection steps below, you will need to copy two files:

1. Copy the TACO file (cdata.authorizenet.taco) found in the lib folder of the connector's installation location (C:\Program Files\CData\CData Tableau Connector for Authorize.Net 20XX\lib on Windows) to the Tableau Prep Builder repository:
   • Windows: C:\Users\[Windows User]\Documents\My Tableau Prep Repository\Connectors
   • MacOS: /Users//Documents/My Tableau Prep Repository/Connectors
2. Copy the JAR file (cdata.tableau.authorizenet.jar) found in the same lib folder to the Tableau drivers directory, typically [Tableau installation location]\Drivers.

Connect to Authorize.Net in Tableau Prep Builder

Open Tableau Prep Builder and click "Connect to Data" and search for "Authorize.Net by CData." Configure the connection and click "Sign In."

You can obtain the necessary connection properties on the Security Settings -> General Settings page after logging into your Merchant Account.

• UseSandbox: The Authorize.Net API to be used to process transactions. If you are using a production account, this property can be left blank. If you are using a developer test account, set this to 'TRUE'.
• LoginID: The API login Id associated with your payment gateway account. This property is used to authenticate that you are authorized to submit website transactions. Note that this value is not the same as the login Id that you use to log in to the Merchant Interface.
• TransactionKey: The transaction key associated with your payment gateway account. This property is used to authenticate that you are authorized to submit website transactions.

Discover and Prep Data

Drag the tables and views you wish to work with onto the canvas. You can include multiple tables.

Data Cleansing & Filtering

To further prepare the data, you can implement filters, remove duplicates, modify columns and more.

1. Start by clicking on the plus next to your table and selecting the Clean Step option.
2. Select the field values to filter by. As you select values, you can see how your selections impact other fields.
3. Opt to "Keep Only" or "Exclude" entries with your select values and the data changes in response.

Data Joins and Unions

Data joining involves combining data from two or more related tables based on a common field or key.

1. To join multiple tables, drag a related table next to an existing table in the canvas and place it in the Join box.
2. Select the foreign keys that exist in both tables.

Exporting Prepped Data

After you perform any cleansing, filtering, transformations, and joins, you can export the data for visualization in Tableau.

1. Add any other needed transformations then insert an Output node at the end of the flow.
2. Configure the node to save to a file in the format of your choice.

Once the output data is saved, you can work with it in Tableau, just like you would any other file source.

Using the CData Tableau Connector for Authorize.Net with Tableau Prep Builder, you can easily join, cleanse, filter, and aggregate Authorize.Net data for visualizations and reports in Tableau. Download a free, 30-day trial and get started today.