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The fastest and easiest way to connect Tableau to CSV/TSV Files data. Includes comprehensive high-performance data access, real-time integration, extensive metadata discovery, and robust SQL-92 support.

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Visualize Live CSV Data in Tableau


Use CData Tableau Connectors and Tableau Desktop to visualize live CSV data.

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

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

Connect to CSV in Tableau

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

The DataSource property must be set to a valid local folder name.

Also, specify the IncludeFiles property to work with text files having extensions that differ from .csv, .tab, or .txt. Specify multiple file extensions in a comma-separated list. You can also set Extended Properties compatible with the Microsoft Jet OLE DB 4.0 driver. Alternatively, you can provide the format of text files in a Schema.ini file.

Set UseRowNumbers to true if you are deleting or updating in CSV. This will create a new column with the name RowNumber which will be used as key for that table.

Discover Schemas and Query Data

  1. Select CData from the Database pull-down menu.
  2. Select CSV 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 CSV with Tableau, you can easily create robust visualizations and reports on CSV data. Download a free, 30-day trial and get started today.