Unify Tableau Connector (Unify BI)

Unify BI is a simple plugin that allows Tableau users to tap into UM Analytics (OBIEE) as a data source. You can build a UM Analytics query and export the result set into Tableau for further reporting.

Some of the key features of Unify BI include:

• Reporting on governed data sources through Tableau
• Using existing UM Analytics reports in Tableau
• Performing joins in Tableau between two UM Analytics data sources

More information can be found on the Unify BI Tableau Connector technology page.

NOTE: The Unify Tableau Connector is in a soft launch phase at this time. If you are interested in being an early adopter, please email [email protected] to request access to the Unify Tableau Connector.

An overview can be found on the [email protected] Technology page.

To use the Unify Tableau Connector, you need to have authoring access to one (or more) of the subject areas in UM Analytics. Check assigned access roles in UM Analytics.

Information about requesting author access to subject areas in UM Analytics can be found on the UM Analytics technology page.

1. Start Tableau Desktop.
2. Select Web Data Connector in the Connect - To a Server category. The Web Data Connector window is displayed.
   
3. Enter the URL for the Unify Tableau Connector in the address bar at the top of the Web Data Connector window.
   1. Note: the Unify Tableau Connector is only available to a pilot group of users at this time. If you are part of the pilot, please email OIT Enterprise Data Analytics ([email protected]) and request the URL for the Unify Tableau Connector.
      
      
      
   2. If you've previously used Unify BI, it will be listed in the Recent Connectors area
      
4. Press enter on the keyboard. The authentication window is displayed.
5. Enter your University of Minnesota Internet ID and Password into the fields.
   
6. Click Sign In. The Unify BI Workspace is displayed.
   • Note: If your account uses DUO, you will need to authenticate at this point. In addition, each time Tableau needs to connect with UM Analytics, a DUO prompt will be sent. Keep your DUO device handy, and check for prompts if the Tableau screen is not loading.

1. Click the subject Area dropdown list in the top left. All subject areas that you have authoring access to are displayed.
      
2. Select a subject area. The folders of dimensions and measures for the subject area are displayed in the left sidebar.

1. Click the > icon to expand a folder.
2. Double-click or drag-and-drop dimensions and measures to add them to the workspace (the Drop Columns Here area).
   1. In the image below, the Date folder is collapsed and the HR Dept Hierarchy folder is expanded.
      
3. Click the X icon to remove a column from the workspace.

1. Click the filter tab at the top of the Unify workspace. The filters panel is displayed.
   
2. Click the > icon to expand a folder in the Subject Area pane.
3. Double-click or drag-and-drop a dimension or measure to add to the filter group.
   
   
   1. The default filter condition is Equal/In, click the drop-down to select a different condition.
   2. Click the drop-down in the empty field to select values for the filter condition.
   3. Click the magnifying glass to the right of the empty field to search for values.
   4. Click the X to remove the filter condition.
   5. Filters within a filter group are AND by default. Click the OR button in the filter group bar to change it.

Note: If a filter is created on a date dimension, it will be displayed in the filters pane with the format DD/MM/YYYY. When the data is returned to Tableau, the dates can be formatted in any style.

Create Filter Groups

1. Click the + icon in the Filter Group heading to create a new Filter Group.
2. Click the X icon in the Filter Group heading to remove the Filter Group.
   

Adding columns to Filter Groups

If you have multiple filter groups defined, double-clicking a column will only add the column to the first filter group. If you want to add a column to any other group, you will need to drag the column and drop it on the Filter Group bar.

"Combining and grouping filters with AND and OR Boolean operators enables you to create complex filters without requiring you to know SQL statements. Grouping enables you to establish the precedence in which Oracle BI EE filters an analysis." (From the Oracle help documents.)

Creating and editing column formulas is the same as in UM Analytics. Creating column formulas is useful if aggregation or calculation is needed in the report. For example, the IFNULL formula is useful when a measure column contains null values; or, COUNT is useful for aggregating values of a column.

1. Click the Columns tab in the header area of the Unify BI workspace.
   
2. Locate the column and click the gear icon. The edit column window is displayed.
   
3. Edit the name of the column at the top.
4. Enter the formula in the formulas area.
   1. Click the book icon to open the list of all formulas to see the correct syntax.
      
5. Click the checkmark to finish editing the column.

At any point when selecting, editing, and filtering the columns, the returned data can be previewed.

1. Click the preview data button in the header area of the workspace.
   
2. The data is displayed in a table.
   
   
   1. The data preview is limited to 100 rows in order to verify your data set.
   2. Use the filter at the top to filter the displayed data in the table.
   3. Use the filter in any column to filter the displayed data for only that column.
      1. These filter tools are only for finding data in the table, they do not affect the data that will be returned by the finished query.
   4. The columns can be sorted by clicking the column header.
      

Multiple queries can be created at the same time. When finished building a query, click Save Query in the right hand sidebar. A generic name Table (1) will be assigned. Click the pencil icon to change the name of the query.

Create another query

Click the New Query button in the top toolbar. The Unify BI workspace is cleared out, and the next query can be constructed.

To return to a previous query, click the query name in the right sidebar.

When satisfied with the query, click the green Unify button at the top of the workspace.

Note: The volume of data that can be exported to Tableau is currently limited to 500,000 rows.

The query will execute, and then the data will be available in the Tableau workbook.

• Reminder: If your account uses DUO, you may need to authenticate again.

In Tableau, your data will not initially display on the Data Source tab. Click Update Now to start interacting with your data.

• Reminder: If your account uses DUO, you may need to authenticate again.

To refresh the data in the Tableau report,

1. Click Data in the menubar.
2. Click Refresh all extracts...
   
3. Click Refresh.
   
   1. You might need to authenticate with your University Internet ID and Password.
4. The data extract will refresh and a green checkmark will be displayed.
   

The query that is being used by the Unify Tableau Connector can be edited.

To edit the query:

1. Click the Data Source tab in the lower left.
   1. Note: If clicking the Data Source tab takes you straight to the Unify login screen, you will need to refresh the extract first.
2. Click the drop-down arrow for the oit-biapp connection.
   1. Click Edit Connection...
      
   2. Note: If your account uses Duo, you will need to authenticate first.
3. The Unify BI workspace is displayed.