Connect Tableau to Tallyfy

How can I connect Tableau to my Tallyfy data?

You can connect Tableau to Tallyfy in about 15 minutes using Amazon Athena. Once connected, you’ll transform your raw workflow data into visual dashboards that actually help you make decisions.

Here’s the thing - Tallyfy stores your process data in a way that’s perfect for business intelligence tools. You just need the right setup.

Requirements

Before you start, make sure you have these four things:

• Tallyfy Analytics subscription activated for your organization
• Tableau Desktop installed (version 10.0 or higher)
• Administrative access to your computer for driver installation
• Authentication credentials provided by Tallyfy Support

Authentication Overview

Amazon Athena (which hosts Tallyfy Analytics data) offers two authentication methods:

Method	Description	Best For
IAM Username/Password	Web console access credentials	AWS Console access only
Access Key/Secret	Token-based authentication	BI tool connections (recommended)

Important Note

When Tallyfy provisions your Analytics account, you’ll receive two distinct credential sets:

• AWS IAM login - Use only for accessing the AWS web console
• Access Key + Secret Access Key - Use for connecting Tableau and other BI tools

Why does this matter? Token-based authentication (Access Key + Secret Access Key) gives you reliable connections without those frustrating “security token invalid” errors. Trust me - use the Access Keys for Tableau.

Setup Process

Step 1: Install Required Drivers

First things first - you need two drivers installed:

1. Download and install 64-bit Java from Java’s official site ↗, following the on-screen prompts. This is required for the JDBC connection.
2. Download the Amazon Athena JDBC Driver from the AWS Athena JDBC documentation page ↗.
3. Install the downloaded driver in the appropriate Tableau driver directory: C:\\Program Files\\Tableau\\Drivers for Windows or ~/Library/Tableau/Drivers for macOS.

Driver Updates

AWS updates their drivers periodically. Check their documentation for the latest version - it’ll save you headaches later.

Step 2: Configure Tableau Connection

1. Launch Tableau Desktop.
2. Click Connect > To a Server > Amazon Athena.
3. In the connection dialog, enter the Server (athena.us-east-1.amazonaws.com or your specific region).
4. Enter the Port (443).
5. Enter the S3 Staging Directory provided by Tallyfy (e.g., s3://tallyfy-athena-results/).
6. Enter your Tallyfy-provided Access Key ID.
7. Enter your Tallyfy-provided Secret Access Key.
8. Enter the Region (us-east-1 or your specific region).
9. Click Sign In.

Step 3: Access Tallyfy Data

You’re connected! Here’s what to do next:

1. Select AwsDataCatalog from the Catalog dropdown
2. Select your assigned database (typically your organization name) from the Database dropdown
3. You will see available tables containing your process data
4. Drag tables into your workspace to begin analysis

Working with Tallyfy Data in Tableau

Available Data Tables

Tallyfy Analytics gives you access to four main tables:

• processes - Completed and in-progress workflow instances
• steps - Individual task data within processes
• form_fields - Form field values collected during workflows
• users - User activity and participation metrics

Creating Effective Visualizations

Want to know what you can actually build? Here are the most popular dashboards our customers create:

1. Process duration charts that show exactly where workflows get stuck (remember: durations show elapsed time, not effort)
2. User performance scorecards with task completion rates and average handling times
3. Form data analytics to spot trends in customer requests or quality issues
4. Real-time process monitors showing what’s happening right now

Interpreting time metrics

Duration and handling time metrics show elapsed calendar time between task assignment and completion. This includes weekends, holidays, and waiting periods. For actual effort tracking, see how to track time spent on tasks.

Video Tutorial

Need a visual walkthrough? This 5-minute video shows the entire setup:

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

Connection not working? Let’s fix it. Check these things in order:

• Double-check your Access Key and Secret Access Key - even one wrong character breaks everything
• Make sure the JDBC driver landed in the right folder (yes, it’s picky about location)
• Test if your computer can reach athena.us-east-1.amazonaws.com - corporate firewalls sometimes block it
• Verify your Tallyfy Analytics subscription is active in your account settings
• Restart Tableau after installing drivers (annoying but necessary)

Still stuck? Contact Tallyfy Support with the exact error message you’re seeing.

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Analytics > Tableau

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