Visualize Live SAP BusinessObjects BI Data in Tableau

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

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

NOTE: The CData Tableau Connectors require Tableau 2020.3 or higher. If you are using an older version of Tableau, you will need to use the CData Tableau Connector for SAP BusinessObjects BI. If you wish to connect to SAP BusinessObjects BI data in Tableau Cloud, you will need to use CData Connect.

Connect to SAP BusinessObjects BI in Tableau

Open Tableau and click More under Connect -> To a Server. Select "SAP BusinessObjects BI by CData," then configure the connection and click "Sign In."

To connect to your SAP Business Objects BI instance, you must set the following connection properties:

• Url: set this to the rest API URL. After logging into the Central Management Console, choose 'Applications' from the combo box. Double-click on 'RESTful Web Service' and you'll see the access URL. By default it is, http://{Server-Name}:6405/biprws.
• User: set this to the username of your instance.
• Password: set this to the password of your instance.

Discover Schemas and Query Data

1. Select CData from the Database pull-down menu.
2. Select SAPBusinessObjectsBI from the Schema pull-down menu.
3. Drag the tables and views you wish to visualize onto the join area. You can include multiple tables.
4. Select Update Now or Automatically Update. Update Now lets you preview the first 10,000 rows of the data source (or enter the number of rows you want to see in the Rows text box). Automatically Update automatically reflects the changes in the preview area.
5. Click the tab for your worksheet. Columns are listed as Dimensions and Measures, depending on the data type. The CData Tableau Connector discovers data types automatically, allowing you to leverage the powerful data processing and visualization features of Tableau.
6. Drag a field from the Dimensions or Measures area to Rows or Columns. Tableau creates column or row headers.
7. Select one of the chart types from the Show Me tab. Tableau displays the chart type that you selected.

Using the CData Tableau Connector for SAP BusinessObjects BI with Tableau, you can easily create robust visualizations and reports on SAP BusinessObjects BI data. Download a free, 30-day trial and get started today.