Connecting Tableau to MarkLogic Server
- Last Updated:Feb 19, 2025
- 5 minute read
- MarkLogic Server
- Version 11.0
- Documentation
This chapter describes how to set up your Tableau to communicate with MarkLogic Server, using the MarkLogic Connector for Tableau. The MarkLogic Connector for Tableau supports Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server.
Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server version 2020.3 is the minimum version of Tableau that is compatible with the MarkLogic Connector for Tableau.
The MarkLogic Connector for Tableau works with MarkLogic Server versions 9.0-1 up to the latest release.
The main topics are:
-
Add Tables to Tableau Workbook
This chapter describes how to configure Tableau Desktop and Tableau Server version 2020.3 and later. The procedures described here may be different if you are using an older version of Tableau.
Install Tableau and Connector
Tableau Desktop
This section describes how to install Tableau Desktop and the MarkLogic Connector for Tableau.
-
Install Tableau, as described in the Tableau documentation.
-
Download the
marklogic_odbc.taco
file at https://extensiongallery.tableau.com/connectors/202. -
Move the
marklogic_odbc.taco
file to:- Mac OS: /Users/[your-username]/Documents/My Tableau Repository/Connectors
- Microsoft Windows: C:\Users\[your-username]\Documents\My Tableau Repository\Connectors
-
Download and install the MarkLogic ODBC driver:
- Mac OS: To download the ODBC driver for Mac OS, see https://developer.marklogic.com/code/odbc-mac/. For instructions on installing and configuring the ODBC driver on Mac OS, see https://developer.marklogic.com/learn/odbc-driver-for-mac/.
- Microsoft Windows: To download the ODBC driver for Windows, see https://developer.marklogic.com/products/odbc/. You must download and install the 64-bit ODBC driver. For instructions on installing and configuring the ODBC driver on Microsoft Windows, see Installing and Configuring the MarkLogic Server ODBC Driver.
-
Restart Tableau Desktop.
Tableau Server
This section describes how to install Tableau Server and the MarkLogic Connector for Tableau.
-
Install Tableau, as described in the Tableau documentation.
-
Download the
marklogic_odbc.taco
file at https://extensiongallery.tableau.com/connectors/202. -
Move the
marklogic_odbc.taco
file to:- Linux: /home/[your-username]/Documents
-
Microsoft Windows: C:\Users\[your-username]\Documents
MarkLogic recommends putting the
marklogic_odbc.taco
file in the same directory as your other Tableau connector files.
-
As the
root
user, tell Tableau Server where to find themarklogic_odbc.taco
file:tsm configuration set -k native_api.connect_plugins_path -v <path-to-taco-file> --force-keys
-
As the
root
user, apply the changes made with the previoustsm
command: -
Restart Tableau Server.
- The
tsm pending-changes apply
command gives you the option to restart Tableau Server. Pressy
.
- The
-
Download and install the MarkLogic ODBC driver:
- Linux: To download the ODBC driver for Linux, see https://developer.marklogic.com/products/odbc/. For instructions on installing and configuring the ODBC driver on Linux, see Installing and Configuring the MarkLogic Server ODBC Driver.
- Microsoft Windows: To download the ODBC driver for Windows, see https://developer.marklogic.com/products/odbc/. You must download and install the 64-bit ODBC driver. For instructions on installing and configuring the ODBC driver on Microsoft Windows, see Installing and Configuring the MarkLogic Server ODBC Driver.
Connect Tableau to MarkLogic Server
This section describes how to connect Tableau Desktop to MarkLogic Server, using the MarkLogic Connector for Tableau.
The procedure described in this section assumes you have first installed the MarkLogic ODBC driver and configured it as an ODBC data source on the client server, as described in Installing and Configuring the MarkLogic Server ODBC Driver.
-
Open Tableau Desktop, and click
MarkLogic by MarkLogic
.If the ODBC driver is not installed, you will be reminded to download and install the ODBC driver for your platform.
-
In the
MarkLogic by MarkLogic
window, enter the name of your MarkLogic server, the port number of your ODBC App Server (5432, in this example), and login credentials. ClickSign In
.
Add Tables to Tableau Workbook
This section describes how to use Tableau Desktop to add tables to Tableau Workbook. After successfully connecting Tableau to MarkLogic Server, you can add the defined views, as tables, to your workbook.
-
In the Data Source window, click Select Table to populate the menu below with the views from your schema:
-
Drag the views in the Tables menu to the canvas. In this example, the
employees
view is dragged to the workbook: -
Drag another view to the workbook. In this example, the
expenses
view is dragged to the canvas and joined withemployees
with an inner join. The results are shown below. -
At the top of your canvas, select the desired Connection type:
-
At the bottom of the Tableau window, navigate to
Sheet1
. -
In the
Sheet1
window, dragEmployeeID
,FirstName
andLastName
from theemployees
view in theDimensions
pane to theRows
field. DragCategory
andAmount
from theexpenses
view to theRows
field. You should see your data stored in MarkLogic Server displayed in table on the right.