Access Scopes for Connected Apps

Starting with Tableau Server version 2022.3, using Tableau connected apps, you can programmatically call and access the Tableau REST API through your custom application on behalf of Tableau Server users. Access to the REST API is enabled by a JSON Web Token (JWT) defined as part of the initial Sign In request. The JWT must contain scopes that define the REST API methods that are available to your custom application and its users through the connected app.

Authorize access to the REST API using connected apps to:

Enhance security—using a JWT as a bearer token is inherently more secure than storing and managing admin user passwords through .env files in vaults
Enhance efficiency—using a JWT as a bearer token enables a simplified impersonation with one request to the Sign In endpoint instead of two requests
Extend and automate complex Tableau integrations and backend queries—such as dynamic content retrieval and advanced filtering

Scope actions

Connected apps use scopes that grant access to content or administrative actions through the REST API methods that support JWT authorization (below). A scope is a colon-separated string that starts with the namespace tableau, followed by the Tableau resource that access is being granted to, such as datasources, and ends with the action that is allowed on the resource, such as update.

The action a scope can take include:

create
read
run
update
download
delete

For example, a scope that allows your custom application to call the Update Data Source(Link opens in a new window) method looks like:

tableau:datasources:update

Scope types

The type of scope you use depends on the content or administrative action that you want to enable. Scopes generally fall into one of the following types: content read, individual, wildcard, and cross-category.

Content read scope: The content read scope, tableau:content:read, enables supported GET methods for Tableau content. When you use this scope, you enable actions across REST API categories. More specifically, using this scope you enable GET methods for data sources, metrics, views, workbooks, projects, and sites. Starting in Tableau Server 2023.3, you also specify this scope in a JWT that will be used to create a credentials token for use with the Metadata API(Link opens in a new window).

Note: To enable GET methods for administrative actions, like users and groups, you can use their individual scopes.
Individual scopes: To enable supported content and administrative actions, you can use their individual scopes. An individual scope is generally associated with a single method and REST API category.

Examples:
- To enable publish or update a data source action, you can use the individual tableau:datasources:create or tableau:datasources:update scope, respectively.
- For administrative actions like add or remove users, you can use the individual tableau:users:create or tableau:users:delete scope, respectively.
Note: There are some individual scopes that can enable actions across REST API categories. For example, tableau:views:download enables actions in the view data and workbooks REST API categories.
Wildcard (*) scopes: For certain scopes, you can replace the action with the wildcard character (*) to enable supported actions within a specific REST API category.

Examples:
- You can use the tableau:projects:* wildcard scope to enable the create, delete, update actions in the projects REST API category.
- You can use the tableau:users:* wildcard scope to enable the get/list, add, delete, update actions in the users REST API category.
- You can use the tableau:tasks:* wildcard scope to enable the get/list, add, delete, update and run actions of extract and subscriptions REST API categories. In addition, this scope enables update data source (if an extract) and update workbook.
Cross-category scopes: In addition to the content read scope, there are a few additional scopes that, if used, enable supported actions across different REST API categories.

Examples:
- If using the tableau:tasks:run scope, you enable actions in the data sources and workbooks REST API categories.
- Again, if using the tableau:views:download scope, you enable actions in the view data and workbook REST API categories.
- If using permissions scopes like tableau:permissions:update or tableau:permissions:delete, you enable actions in the data sources, workbooks, and projects REST API categories.

Summary of how to authorize REST API access

The following list summarizes the steps to request access to the REST API through a JWT:

Create a connected app using one of the following methods:
- Configure Connected Apps with Direct Trust
- Configure Connected Apps with OAuth 2.0 Trust
Generate a valid JWT—at runtime your custom application will generate a valid JWT, configured with the scopes you have included
Make a Sign In(Link opens in a new window) request—your custom application will make a Sign In request using the JWT to return a Tableau credentials token and site ID (LUID)
Use the Tableau access token in subsequent requests—in subsequent REST API calls, use 1) the Tableau credentials token as the X-Tableau-Auth(Link opens in a new window) header value and 2) the site ID (LUID) in the request URI

Example

For example, suppose you create a connected app using direct trust. Using direct trust, your custom application that calls the REST API generates a valid JWT using the client ID and client secret generated by the connected app.

Scopes in the JWT

To successfully authorize access to the REST API, the JWT must also contain the scopes that define the REST API capabilities. For example, to enable various data source-related methods, you might include the following scopes in the JWT:

"tableau:content:read","tableau:datasources:create","tableau:datasources:update","tableau:datasources:download","tableau:tasks:run"

"tableau:content:read","tableau:datasources:*","tableau:tasks:run"

Note: Scope values must be passed as a list type.

Sign In Request URI

To make a call to the REST API, your custom application must first make a Sign In request to generate a Tableau credentials token.

POST https://myco/api/3.17/auth/signin

Request body

To authorize REST API access using a JWT, the Sign In request body must contain the valid JWT like the example below.

<tsRequest>
   <credentials jwt="eyJpc3MiOiI4ZTFiNzE3Mi0zOWMzLTRhMzItODg3ZS1mYzJiNDExOWY1NmQiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6ImIwMTE1YmY5LTNhNGItNGM5MS1iMDA5LWNmMGMxNzBiMWE1NiJ9.eyJhdWQiOiJ0YWJsZWF1Iiwic3ViIjoicm1vaGFuQHRhYmxlYXUuY29tIiwic2NwIjpbInRhYmxlYXU6c2l0ZXM6cmVhZCJdLCJpc3MiOiI4ZTFiNzE3Mi0zOWMzLTRhMzItODg3ZS1mYzJiNDExOWY1NmQiLCJleHAiOjE2NDg2Njg0MzksImp0aSI6IjY1ZWFmMmYxLTNmZTgtNDc5Ny1hZmRiLTMyODMzZDVmZGJkYSJ9.mUv2o4gtBTrMVLEXY5XTpzDQTGvfE2LGi-3O2vdGfT8">
    <site contentUrl="mycodotcom"/>
   </credentials>
</tsRequest>

Response body

The Sign In request produces the following response body, which includes the Tableau credentials token.

<tsResponse>
   <credentials token="12ab34cd56ef78ab90cd12ef34ab56cd">
    <site id="9a8b7c6d5-e4f3-a2b1-c0d9-e8f7a6b5c4d" contentUrl=""/>
    <user id="9f9e9d9c-8b8a-8f8e-7d7c-7b7a6f6d6e6d" />
   </credentials>
</tsResponse>

After the Tableau access token is generated, add the Tableau credentials token to the header of all subsequent REST API requests.

Header

X-Tableau-Auth:12ab34cd56ef78ab90cd12ef34ab56cd

All subsequent REST API requests using the Tableau access token are then bounded by the scopes in the JWT.

REST API methods that support JWT authorization

The following scopes can be associated with the connected app to define access and methods your custom application can have to the REST API(Link opens in a new window) on users' behalf.

Notes:

For other REST API capabilities not listed in the table below, you can use other authorization mechanisms to access the methods. For more information, see Authentication Methods(Link opens in a new window) in the Tableau REST API Help.
Both the Sign In(Link opens in a new window) and Sign Out(Link opens in a new window) methods are supported by JWT authorization but do not require scopes to use beginning in Tableau Server 2023.3.
For scopes supported by the Embedding API v3, see one of the following:
- Configure Connected Apps with Direct Trust
- Configure Connected Apps with OAuth 2.0 Trust

Wildcard (*) scopes

Wildcard scopes use the wildcard character (*) instead of a specific action, to enable multiple supported actions within a specific REST API category. These include:

Scope	Methods enabled
`tableau:datasources:*`	Enables create, update, and update connection data source methods.
`tableau:metrics:*`	Enables query, update, and delete metrics actions.
`tableau:workbooks:*`	Enables publish, update, download, and preview image workbook actions.
`tableau:groups:*`	Enables create, query, update, and delete groups actions.
`tableau:projects:*`	Enables create, delete, and update projects methods.
`tableau:users:*`	Enables get/list, add, delete, and update users methods.
`tableau:tasks:` Note:* This scope is also cross-category.	Enables get/list, add, delete, update and run methods for extracts and subscription tasks. Enables update methods for data sources for workbooks.

Cross-category scopes

Cross-category scopes enable multiple supported actions across multiple REST API categories. These include:

Scope	Methods enabled
`tableau:content:read`	Enables read/list methods for Tableau content, including data sources, metrics, views, workbooks, projects, and sites.
`tableau:tasks:run`	Enables run methods for data sources, workbooks, and extracts.
`tableau:views:download`	Enables download methods for view data and workbooks.
`tableau:tasks:` Note:* This scope is also wildcard.	Enables get/list, add, delete, update and run methods for extracts and subscription tasks. Enables update methods for data sources for workbooks.

Individual scopes

Method	Scope	Description
(Methods without scopes)	(None)	When no scopes are defined in the JWT, access to the REST API is denied.
Sign in	(No scope needed)	Signs you in as a user on the specified site on Tableau Server.
Sign out	(No scope needed)	Signs you out of the current session.
(Content read scope)	`tableau:content:read`	Enables read/list actions for Tableau content: data sources, metrics, views, workbooks, and projects.
Labels
Delete Label	`tableau:labels:delete`	Deletes a data label by its LUID.
Delete Labels	`tableau:labels:delete`	Deletes the data labels on one or more assets.
Get Label	`tableau:labels:read`	Gets a data label by its LUID.
Get Labels	`tableau:labels:read`	Displays information about the data labels on one or more assets.
Update Label	`tableau:labels:update`	Updates a label by its LUID.
Update Labels	`tableau:labels:update`	Creates or updates labels on one or more assets.
Data sources
(All `tableau:datasources:` methods)	`tableau:datasources:*`	Enables create data source, update data source, and update data source connection methods.
Publish data source	`tableau:datasources:create`	Publish a data source to a site or append data to an existing published data source.
Query data source	`tableau:content:read`	Get information about a published data source.
Query data sources	`tableau:content:read`	Get information about all published data source on a site.
Query data source connections	`tableau:content:read`	Get server address, port, user name, or password information about a published data source.
Update data source	`tableau:datasources:update`	Update owner, project or certification status of the data source.
Update data source connection	`tableau:datasources:update`	Update server address, port, user name, or password of the data source connection.
Update data source now	`tableau:tasks:run`	Run extract refresh.
Extracts
(All `tableau:tasks:` methods)	`tableau:tasks:*`	Enables create, delete, get, list, run, and update refresh actions for extracts, subscriptions, update data source (for data sources with extracts), and update workbook methods.
List extract refresh tasks in site	`tableau:tasks:read`	List the extract refreshes tasks configured for in a site.
Run extract refresh task	`tableau:tasks:run`	Runs an extract refresh task.
Flows
Publish flow	`tableau:flows:create`	Publish a flow.
Metrics Retirement of the legacy metrics feature Tableau's legacy metrics feature was retired in Tableau Cloud in February 2024 and in Tableau Server version 2024.2. In October 2023, Tableau retired the ability to embed legacy metrics in Tableau Cloud and in Tableau Server version 2023.3. With Tableau Pulse, we've developed an improved experience to track metrics and ask questions of your data. For more information, see Create Metrics with Tableau Pulse to learn about the new experience and Create and Troubleshoot Metrics (Retired) for the retired feature.
(All `tableau:metrics:` methods)	`tableau:metrics:*`	Enables query, update, and delete metrics actions.
(All `tableau:metrics:` methods)	`tableau:metrics:*`	Enables query, update, and delete metrics actions.
Get metric	`tableau:content:read`	Get a metric.
Delete metric	`tableau:metrics:delete`	Delete a metric.
List metrics	`tableau:content:read`	Get list of metrics for a site.
Query metrics data	`tableau:metrics:download`	Get underlying data of a metric in comma-separated value (.csv) format.
Update metric	`tableau:metrics:update`	Update owner, project, suspend status, and name of the metric.
Subscriptions
(All `tableau:tasks:` methods)	`tableau:tasks:*`	Enables create, delete, get, list, run, and update refresh actions for extracts, subscriptions, update data source (for data sources with extracts), and update workbook methods.
Create subscription	`tableau:tasks:create`	Create a subscription.
Delete subscription	`tableau:tasks:delete`	Delete a subscription.
Get subscription	`tableau:tasks:read`	Gets the details of a subscription.
List subscriptions	`tableau:tasks:read`	Lists subscriptions in a site.
Update subscription	`tableau:tasks:update`	Updates a subscription.
Views
Delete custom view	`tableau:views:update`	Delete the specified custom view.
Get custom view	`tableau:content:read`	Get the details of a specified custom view.
Get custom view image	`tableau:views:download`	Download a .png format image file of a specified custom view.
Get view	`tableau:content:read`	Get details about a view.
Get view by path	`tableau:content:read`	Get details for all views on a site using the specified name.
List custom views	`tableau:content:read`	Get a list of custom views on a site.
Query view data	`tableau:views:download`	Get a view rendered in comma-separated value (.csv) format.
Query view PDF	`tableau:views:download`	Get a view as a PDF (.pdf) file.
Query view image	`tableau:views:download`	Get a view as an image (.png) file.
Query views for site	`tableau:content:read`	Get all views for a site.
Query views for workbook	`tableau:content:read`	Get all views for the specified workbook.
Query view preview image	`tableau:views:download`	Get the thumbnail image (.png) of the view.
Update custom view	`tableau:views:update`	Change the owner or name of an existing custom view.
Workbooks
(All `tableau:workbooks:` methods)	`tableau:workbooks:*`	Enables publish, update, download, and preview image workbook actions.
Publish workbook	`tableau:workbooks:create`	Publish a workbook (.twb or .twbx).
Query workbook	`tableau:content:read`	Get a specified workbook and its details.
Query workbook for site	`tableau:content:read`	Get a list of workbooks published to a site.
Query workbook preview image	`tableau:workbooks:download`	Get the thumbnail image (.png) of the workbook.
Update workbook	`tableau:workbooks:update`	Modify an existing workbook.
Update workbook connection	`tableau:workbooks:update`	Update the connection information.
Update workbook now	`tableau:tasks:run`	Initiate a workbook refresh outside of a scheduled task.
Publish
Append to file upload	`tableau:file_uploads:create`	Upload a block of data and append it to the data that is already uploaded - to be used after an upload has been initiated using the "initiate file upload" method.
Initiate file upload	`tableau:file_uploads:create`	Initiate the upload process of a file.
Download
Download data source	`tableau:datasources:download`	Download the data source (.tdsx).
Download view crosstab Excel	`tableau:views:download`	Download an Excel (.xlsx) file containing crosstab data from the view.
Download workbook	`tableau:workbooks:download`	Download a workbook (.twb or .twbx).
Download workbook revision	`tableau:workbooks:download`	Download a specific version of the workbook (.twb or .twbx).
Download workbook PDF	`tableau:views:download`	Download a PDF (.pdf) file containing images of the sheets in the workbook.
Download workbook PowerPoint	`tableau:views:download`	Download a PowerPoint (.pptx) file containing slides of the sheets in the workbook.
Users
(All `tableau:users` methods)	`tableau:users:*`	Enables add, query, update, and remove users actions.
Add user to group	`tableau:groups:update`	Add a user to a group.
Add user to site	`tableau:users:create`	Add a user and assign the user to a site.
Get users in group	`tableau:groups:read`	Get a list of users in a group.
Get users on site	`tableau:users:read`	Get all users on a site.
Query user on site	`tableau:users:read`	Get a user on a site.
Remove users from group	`tableau:groups:update`	Remove a user from a group.
Remove user from site	`tableau:users:delete`	Remove the user from a site.
Groups
(All `tableau:groups:` methods)	`tableau:groups:*`	Enables create, query, update, and delete groups actions.
Create group	`tableau:groups:create`	Create a group.
Delete group	`tableau:groups:delete`	Delete a group.
Get groups for user	`tableau:users:read`	Get a list of groups that a user belongs to.
Query groups	`tableau:groups:read`	Get a list of groups on a site.
Update group	`tableau:groups:update`	Update a group.
Projects
(All `tableau:projects:` methods)	`tableau:projects:*`	Enables create, update, and delete projects actions.
Create project	`tableau:projects:create`	Create a project.
Delete project	`tableau:projects:delete`	Delete a project.
Query project	`tableau:content:read`	Get a list of projects.
Update project	`tableau:projects:update`	Update the name, description, or project hierarchy of the project.
Permissions
(All `tableau:permissions:` methods)	`tableau:permissions:*`	Enables add, query, update, delete permissions actions.
Add data source permissions	`tableau:permissions:update`	Add permissions to a data source for a Tableau Server user or group.
Add default permissions	`tableau:permissions:update`	Add default permission capabilities to a user or group, for metric, flow, workbook, data source, data role, or lens resources in a project.
Add project permissions	`tableau:permissions:update`	Add permissions to a project for a user or group
Add view permissions	`tableau:permissions:update`	Add permissions to a view for a user or group.
Add workbook permissions	`tableau:permissions:update`	Add permissions to a specified workbook for a user or group.
Delete data source permissions	`tableau:permissions:delete`	Delete default permission capabilities of a user or group, for metric, flow, workbook, data source, data role, or lens resources in a project.
Delete default permissions	`tableau:permissions:delete`	Delete default permission capabilities of a user or group, for metric, flow, workbook, data source, data role, or lens resources in a project.
Delete project permissions	`tableau:permissions:delete`	Delete the project permission for a user or group.
Delete view permissions	`tableau:permissions:delete`	Delete the view permission for a user or group.
Delete workbook permissions	`tableau:permissions:delete`	Delete the workbook permission for a user or group.
Query data source permissions	`tableau:permissions:read`	Get a list of permissions for the data source.
Query default permissions	`tableau:permissions:read`	Get default permission capabilities of users and groups for metrics, workbooks, and data sources.
Query project permissions	`tableau:permissions:read`	Get a list of permissions for the project.
Query view permissions	`tableau:permissions:read`	Get a list of permissions for the view.
Query workbook permissions	`tableau:permissions:read`	Get a list of permissions for the workbook.
Site
(All `tableau:sites:` methods)	`tableau:sites:*`	Enables create, query, update, and delete sites actions.
Create site	`tableau:sites:create`	Create a site on Tableau Server.
Get recently viewed site	`tableau:content:read`	Get views and workbooks details on the most recently created, updated, or accessed by the signed in user.
Query sites	`tableau:sites:read`	List all sites on Tableau Server.
Query views for site	`tableau:content:read`	List all views on a site.
Update site	`tableau:sites:update`	Update a site.

Troubleshoot scopes

If you encounter error 401001, the Sign In response body is appended with one of the following additional connected apps-specific error codes: 16, 10084, or 10085.

For example, in the following response body, "10084” is the connected apps error code you can use to help troubleshoot issues with signing in to Tableau Server using a JWT for REST API authorization.

<error code="401001">  
  "summary": "Signin Error",
  "detail": "Error signing in to Tableau Cloud (10084)"
</error>

To help resolve the issue, refer to the description of the applicable error code and its potential causes.

16: Could not find user—this error can occur because the incorrect "sub" (user name) was specified

10084: Could not parse access token—this error can occur for the following reasons:
- JWT is invalid or there was an unexpected problem
- Incorrect "aud" (audience) was specified
- For direct trust, there was a problem with signing the secret
10085: Could not fetch secret to verify signature for client ID—this error can occur for the following reasons:
- Incorrect client ID in "iss" specified
- For direct trust, incorrect "kid" (secret ID) was specified
- For EAS, unable to fetch keys from the JWKSource

401002 - unauthorized access error

If you encounter error 401002 and have confirmed that you have the appropriate permissions to make the request, ensure the scope included in the JWT is correct and matches the request you're trying to make. For a list of endpoints and supported scopes, see the REST API methods that support JWT authorization section above.

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