Tableau Overview

Tableau is an interactive, self-service reporting and analytics tool that enables faculty and staff to integrate and combine data from multiple sources into visualizations and be accessed in a single Creator environment using Tableau Creator or through a shared dashboard.

 

Available to

  • Faculty
  • Staff
  • Students should independently obtain their own Tableau license. Note, there is a 1-year free Tableau Academic License program available for students.

 

Cost

  • $675 - Tableau Creator Product Key (Desktop, Prep, and Server access)
  • $0 – Free Trial 
  • The subscription license period aligns with the Tableau renewal year, running from October to September, and it offers prorated annual billing options.

 

How to Request Service

Click the "Request Service" button to the right.

 

Tableau Desktop

Tableau Creator is a bundled license of Desktop and Prep.
Tableau Desktop is used by data analysts and report developers to generate workbooks and dashboards that can be published for distribution in Tableau Server. Tableau Desktop can also be used to create ad hoc reports and analyses from local datasets and from other systems.

 

Tableau Prep

Tableau Prep changes the way traditional data prep is performed in an organization. By providing a visual and direct way to combine, shape and clean data. Tableau Prep is comprised of two products: Tableau Prep Builder for building your data flows, and Tableau Prep Conductor for scheduling, monitoring and managing flows across the organization.

A license is required to use Tableau Creator. To purchase or renew a license, please see the related article for Purchasing Tableau Creator License.

 

Tableau Server

Tableau Server is a secure portal that allows dashboards to be published from Tableau Desktop to be securely shared with others from any browser or mobile device. Some schools and departments have established sites on Tableau Server. Access to data within these sites is granted by request through the Site Administrators. This service is provided by Northwestern IT and supported by Data Management and Analytics at no extra cost to its users, but at least one Tableau Creator license per department/school is required to use Tableau Server for sharing data. Please contact tableau.licensing@northwestern.edu for inquiries.

 

Installation

Northwestern University Tableau Server is currently on 2023.3.3 version. To have the functionality work appropriately, Desktop and Prep versions must be compatible. Here are the versions you should install:

 

Tableau Training Videos

 

Tableau Support Resources