When collaborating with external parties or colleagues without Tallyfy access, you may need to share Tableau workbooks without exposing sensitive data. This guide explains how to safely share Tableau visualizations while protecting your data source credentials and connection details.
Methods for Secure Workbook Sharing
Method
Best For
Data Protection Level
Data Source Disconnection
One-time sharing
Medium - Structure remains visible
Data Extraction with Filtering
Recurring sharing
High - Only selected data visible
Published Data Source
Team collaboration
High - Centralized permission control
Requirements
Tableau Desktop installed
Working Tallyfy Analytics connection in Tableau
Visualizations and dashboards already created
Method 1: Disconnect Data Sources
This method allows you to share the workbook structure while requiring recipients to connect their own data sources.
Step 1: Prepare Your Workbook
Start with your fully functioning Tableau workbook containing all visualizations and dashboards.
Step 2: Disconnect Data Sources
Navigate to Data > Data Source
For each data source, right-click and select Close
Alternatively, you can:
Go to the Data Source tab
Click the dropdown menu for each data source
Select Edit Connection
Change the connection path to a non-existent location
Step 3: Save and Share the Workbook
Save the workbook with a new name to preserve your original
Select File > Save As
Choose an appropriate location and filename
Share the saved file with your intended recipients
Step 4: Recipient Reconnection Process
When recipients open the workbook, they will see connection error messages:
They can view error details for more information:
To reconnect to data sources:
Click Yes when prompted to connect to data
Select Edit Connection to enter their own connection details
If Edit Connection doesn’t work, they may need to remove the existing connection and create a new one:
After successful connection, the dashboard will populate with their data
Data Type Configuration
After reconnection, recipients may need to adjust data types for proper visualization functionality:
Navigate to the Data Source tab.
Locate date fields like “due_by” and “completed_on”.
Right-click the date field.
Select Change Data Type > Date & Time.
Repeat for other necessary date fields.
Verify that date comparisons and calculations now work correctly.
Alternative Sharing Methods
Method 2: Create a Data Extract with Filtering
For more control over shared data:
Create a Tableau Data Extract (.tde or .hyper file)
Apply filters to limit exposed data
Save and share the workbook with the extract
Method 3: Use Tableau Server or Tableau Online
For enterprise sharing:
Publish the workbook to Tableau Server/Online
Set appropriate user permissions
Allow recipients to access through a browser
Enable or disable download capabilities as needed
Method 4: Export Dashboards as PDF/PNG
For sharing insights without any data connectivity:
Select Dashboard > Export
Choose PDF or Image format
Share the static file with recipients
Best Practices for Workbook Sharing
Remove unnecessary sheets and dashboards before sharing
Document required data sources and connection steps
Test the reconnection process before sharing
Consider creating a template with sample data for demonstration
Remove any sensitive calculations or parameters
By following these methods, you can safely share your Tableau visualizations while maintaining data security and allowing recipients to connect to their own data sources.
A comprehensive walkthrough for establishing a connection between Tableau and Tallyfy Analytics via Amazon Athena by installing required drivers setting up authentication and configuring data tables for workflow visualization and reporting.
Setting up reliable Tableau connections to Tallyfy Analytics requires using Access Key authentication while following proper data connection protocols and implementing preventive maintenance steps to avoid disruptions.
Sensitive data should be stored securely outside Tallyfy in dedicated systems while using secure links to reference the information within workflow tasks.
Tableau integration enhances Tallyfy Analytics by offering extensive data visualization tools for creating interactive dashboards and reports to analyze workflow performance through direct connectivity with Amazon Athena.
