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

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

Install the CData Tableau Connector

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

Connect to SAP SuccessFactors in Tableau Prep Builder

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

You can authenticate to SAP Success Factors using Basic authentication or OAuth with SAML assertion.

Basic Authentication

You must provide values for the following properties to successfully authenticate to SAP Success Factors. Note that the provider will reuse the session opened by SAP Success Factors using cookies. Which means that your credentials will be used only on the first request to open the session. After that, cookies returned from SAP Success Factors will be used for authentication.

• Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
• User: set this to the username of your account.
• Password: set this to the password of your account.
• CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.

OAuth Authentication

You must provide values for the following properties, which will be used to get the access token.

• Url: set this to the URL of the server hosting Success Factors. Some of the servers are listed in the SAP support documentation (external link).
• User: set this to the username of your account.
• CompanyId: set this to the unique identifier of your company.
• OAuthClientId: set this to the API Key that was generated in API Center.
• OAuthClientSecret: the X.509 private key used to sign SAML assertion. The private key can be found in the certificate you downloaded in Registering your OAuth Client Application.
• InitiateOAuth: set this to GETANDREFRESH.

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