Is it possible to use tableau server without tableau desktop?

Question

As far as I can tell you can use tableau server to make worksheets based on other worksheets, but I can't figure out how to add a new data source and create an initial worksheet without using the desktop version at all.

Tohubohu

I don't believe you can – Callisto

Answer 1

Technically, you could use the Tableau Data Extract API to create a TDE file, and then use the REST API to publish it to Tableau Server. Assuming the Data Extract API doesn't require a license to Tableau Desktop (check the agreement, I have no idea)

You could probably do the same with a TDS file, which is just XML, so you could presumably create that by hand or by script if you figured out the format. But no guarantees that the format won't change with future versions.

Seems like a lot of effort to avoid buying a few Desktop licenses which are useful in their own right. Editing workbooks in Tableau Desktop is generally a faster more fluid experience than via the web, so having a few Desktop licenses is usually well worth the cost.

But if your goal is to automate a manual process, that's exactly what the Data Extract and REST APIs are for.

Unger

In case if we are trying to automate the whole process, how would i construct the visualization using API's like selecting type of chart or adding rows and columns required to construct the chart? – Raspberry

The APIs described above allow you to automate the process of updating data - so that when new data is available, the visualizations see the new data without a manual step in the process. If you are trying to do something different than that, the data extract API may not be very helpful to you – Unger

So without Tableau Desktop there is no possibility of creating visualization? – Raspberry

You can create vizzes with Tableau Server now – Unger

Okay so we can use either Tableau desktop/Tableau server for this. So there is no way to create/edit vizzes using some sort of API's? – Raspberry

Answer 2

It is not possible, you need desktop to publish a data source to server.

See: https://www.tableau.com/products/server

Tableau Server is browser- and mobile-based insight anyone can use. Publish dashboards with Tableau Desktop and share them throughout your organization.

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