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

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

Install the CData Tableau Connector

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

Connect to JD Edwards in Tableau Prep Builder

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

The driver connects to JD Edwards through your Application Interface Services (AIS) Server. Set the following connection properties:

• URL: The base HTTPS URL of your AIS Server (e.g., https://jde-ais.example.com:8300).
• User: Your JD Edwards username.
• Password: Your JD Edwards password.
• Environment (optional): The JD Edwards environment to use (e.g., PD920 for production or DV920 for development). If not specified, the AIS Server's default environment is used.
• Role (optional): The JD Edwards role for the session. If not specified, the AIS Server's default role is used.
• DeviceName (optional): An identifier for the connecting device or application, used for auditing and logging on the AIS Server.
• Jasserver (optional): The specific Java Application Server (JAS) instance to route requests through, useful in clustered environments.

Choosing Which Data Is Exposed

JD Edwards organizes tables and business views by System Code, and the driver exposes each System Code as its own schema. Use these properties to control which schemas are available:

• DataModel: One or more ERP modules (comma-separated) whose System Codes are exposed as schemas, or All to expose every System Code in the connected instance. Defaults to FinancialManagement.
• SystemCodes: A comma-separated list of additional System Codes to expose alongside those from DataModel (e.g., 42,43).

When you connect, the driver sends your credentials to the AIS Server to obtain a session token and caches it. The driver requests a new token automatically before the session expires.

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