Setting up Tableau Bridge for Oracle datasources

• Ensure that workbook/datasource can connect to Oracle database

  • Install Oracle Driver

    • Go to Tableau drivers:  https://www.tableau.com/support/drivers

    • Download Oracle OCI driver

    • You can also install Oracle JDBC driver.  Note: use one or the other driver.  NOT both

• Open existing workbook or create new workbook and connect to Oracle

  • If the data can be pulled and refreshed, then connection to the Oracle database is working. 

  • Continue to the next steps to setup and refresh the Oracle datasource via Tableau bridge

• Install Oracle client and related Visual Studio redistributable

  • https://www.oracle.com/database/technologies/instant-client/winx64-64-downloads.html

  • Download the latest version, Basic Package

  • Unzip the packages into a single directory such as C:\oracle\instantclient_21_10

  • Download the related Visual Studio redistributable and install

• Set environment variables

  • Open System Properties and click on Environment Variables

• Tableau Bridge client

  • Download and install Tableau Bridge client

  • Start Tableau bridge client and login with your Tableau online account

  • You can now assign extract refreshes to this Bridge client under your Tableau online account

  • Login to Tableau online

  • Select a datasource to refresh; click on Actions …, you should be able to select the Tableau bridge client and set refresh schedule

• Once the refreshed schedule has been set from Tableau online, you will need to go back to the server where the client is installed to enter the username and password to the Oracle database in the datasource

• Click on the up arrow to find Tableau bridge icon.  Click on it

• You should see a window displaying the datasource that you want to refresh

• Click on the Edit icon to enter the username and password

• That’s it.  Your Oracle datasource should now be refreshed per the schedule

•  Switch Mode from Application to Service, so that as long as this Windows server is running, the Tableau Bridge software will be running.  Ensure that your Windows user account is also local admin on this server.

•  For other features and suggestions on using Tableau Bridge, read this Tableau white paper:

  • https://www.tableau.com/sites/default/files/whitepapers/managing_tableau_bridge_at_scale_0.pdf