Connect to and Visualize Live Dynamics NAV 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 Dynamics NAV, you can easily get access to live Dynamics NAV data within Tableau Prep. This article shows how to connect to Dynamics NAV in Tableau Prep and build a simple chart.

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

Install the CData Tableau Connector

When you install the CData Tableau Connector for Dynamics NAV, 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.dynamicsnav.taco) found in the lib folder of the connector's installation location (C:\Program Files\CData\CData Tableau Connector for Dynamics NAV 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.dynamicsnav.jar) found in the same lib folder to the Tableau drivers directory, typically [Tableau installation location]\Drivers.

Connect to Dynamics NAV in Tableau Prep Builder

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

Before you can connect, OData Services will need to be enabled on the server. Once OData Services are enabled, you will be able to query any Services that are published on the server.

The User and Password properties, under the Authentication section, must be set to valid Dynamics NAV user credentials. In addition, you will need to specify a URL to a valid Dynamics NAV server organization root and a ServerInstance. If there is not a Service Default Company for the server, you will need to set the Company as well.

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 Dynamics NAV with Tableau Prep Builder, you can easily join, cleanse, filter, and aggregate Dynamics NAV data for visualizations and reports in Tableau. Download a free, 30-day trial and get started today.