This article describes how to connect Tableau to a Microsoft PowerPivot database.
Before you begin
Before you begin, gather this connection information:
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SharePoint URL, or SharePoint, UNC, or local Excel file name
If you plan to publish the workbook to Tableau Server, make sure to connect to a PowerPivot file on SharePoint. Tableau Server does not support connections to local PowerPivot files.
Note: Tableau Desktop supports Microsoft PowerPivot 2010 and 2013.
Use this connector with Tableau Desktop on a Windows computer.
Driver required
This connector requires a driver to talk to the database. You might already have the required driver installed on your computer. If the driver is not installed on your computer, Tableau displays a message in the connection dialog box with a link to the Driver Download(Link opens in a new window) page where you can find driver links and installation instructions.
Make the connection and set up the data source
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Start Tableau and under Connect, select Microsoft PowerPivot. For a complete list of data connections, select More under To a Server. Then do the following:
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Select whether to connect to a PowerPivot file using a SharePoint URL, a SharePoint UNC (file path), or a local Excel file.
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Select Sign In.
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On the data source page, do the following:
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(Optional) Select the default data source name at the top of the page, and then enter a unique data source name for use in Tableau. For example, use a data source naming convention that helps other users of the data source figure out which data source to connect to.
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The file name appears under Select a File. Note that there is one file per connection. Search for or select a perspective available in that file.
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Select the sheet tab to start your analysis.
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Use PowerPivot perspectives
PowerPivot data may contain one or more perspectives. Perspectives are subsets of objects from the model that define sets of data. Typically perspectives are defined for a particular group of users or business scenario. Using perspectives can make it easier to navigate large data sources.
See also
- Set Up Data Sources – Add more data to this data source or prepare your data before you analyze it.
- Build Charts and Analyze Data – Begin your data analysis.