Tableau Connector for Salesforce Data Cloud

Build 25.0.9434

Configuring a Connection

After Installing the Connector you can connect and create a Data Source for data in Salesforce Data Cloud.

Setting Up a Data Source

Complete the following steps to connect to the data:

  1. Under Connect | To a Server, click More....
  2. Select the data source called Salesforce Data Cloud by CData.
  3. Enter the information required for the connection.
  4. Click Sign In.
  5. If necessary, select a Database and Schema to discover what tables and views are available.

Using the Connection Builder

The connector makes the most common connection properties available directly in Tableau. However, it can be difficult to use if you need to use more advanced settings or need to troubleshoot connection issues. The connector includes a separate connection builder that allows you to create and test connections outside of Tableau.

There are two ways to access the connection builder:

  • On Windows, use a shortcut called Connection Builder in the Start menu, under the CData Tableau Connector for Salesforce Data Cloud folder.
  • You can also start the connection builder by going to the driver install directory and running the .jar file in the lib directory.

In the connection builder, you can set values for connection properties and click Test Connection to validate that they work. You can also use the Copy to Clipboard button to save the connection string. This connection string can be given to the Connection String option included in the connector connection window in Tableau.

Connecting to Salesforce Data Cloud

Salesforce Data Cloud supports authentication via the OAuth standard.

OAuth

Set AuthScheme to OAuth.

Desktop Applications

CData provides an embedded OAuth application that simplifies authentication at the desktop.

You can also authenticate from the desktop via a custom OAuth application, which you configure and register at the Salesforce Data Cloud console. For further information, see Creating a Custom OAuth App.

Before you connect, set these properties:

  • InitiateOAuth: GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
  • OAuthClientId (custom applications only): The Client ID assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): The Client Secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.

When you connect, the connector opens Salesforce Data Cloud's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application.

The connector then completes the OAuth process as follows:

  • Extracts the access token from the callback URL.
  • Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
  • Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation so that they persist across connections.

Headless Machines

To configure the connector to use OAuth with a user account on a headless machine, you must authenticate on another device that has an internet browser.

Do one of the following:

  • Option 1: Obtain the OAuthVerifier value (see "Obtain and Exchange a Verifier Code", below).
  • Option 2: Install the connector on a machine with a browser and transfer the OAuth authentication values after you authenticate through the usual browser-based flow (see "Transfer OAuth Settings", below).

Option 1: Obtain and exchange a verifier code

To obtain a verifier code, you must authenticate at the OAuth authorization URL.

Follow the steps below to authenticate from the machine with an internet browser and obtain the OAuthVerifier connection property.

  1. Choose one of these options:

    • If you are using the embedded OAuth credentials, click Salesforce Data Cloud OAuth endpoint to open the endpoint in your browser.
    • If you are using a Custom OAuthd Application, create the Authorization URL by setting the following properties: Then call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure with the appropriate CallbackURL. Open the URL returned by the stored procedure in a browser.

  2. Log in and grant permissions to the connector. You are then redirected to the callback URL, which contains the verifier code.
  3. Save the value of the verifier code. Later you will set this in the OAuthVerifier connection property.
Next, you need to exchange the OAuth verifier code for OAuth refresh and access tokens. Set the following properties:

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuth authentication values.

After the OAuth settings file is generated, re-set these properties to connect:

  • InitiateOAuth: REFRESH.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: The location containing the encrypted OAuth authentication values. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.
  • OAuthClientId (custom applications only): The client Id assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): The client secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.

Option 2: Transfer OAuth settings

Before you connect on a headless machine, you must install and create a connection with the connector on a device that supports an internet browser. Set the connection properties as described above, in "Desktop Applications".

After you complete the instructions in "Desktop Applications", the resulting authentication values are encrypted and written to the location specified by OAuthSettingsLocation. The default filename is OAuthSettings.txt.

After you have successfully tested the connection, copy the OAuth settings file to your headless machine.

At the headless machine, set these properties:

  • InitiateOAuth: REFRESH.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: The location of your OAuth settings file. Make sure this location gives read and write permissions to the connector to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.
  • OAuthClientId (custom applications only): The client Id assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): The client secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.

OAuth Password Grant

Follow these steps to set up the Password Grant option:

  1. Set the AuthScheme to OAuthPassword to perform authentication with the password grant type.
  2. Set all the properties specified in either the web or desktop authentication sections above.
  3. Set the User and Password to your login credentials.

Note: If you have enabled Session Settings > Lock sessions to the IP address from which they originated, make sure that your IP address does not change while using the connector. If the IP changes during the usage of the connector, an "INVALID_SESSION_ID" error is returned from Salesforce Data Cloud and the connector will no longer be able to retrieve data. If you receive this error, ask your Salesforce Data Cloud administrator to disable this configuration or make sure to configure a static IP for the instance where you are using the connector. Then, reset the connection to continue using the connector.

OAuth Client Grant

To use an OAuth client grant, follow these steps:

  1. Set the AuthScheme to OAuthClient to perform authentication with the client grant type.
  2. Set all the properties specified in either the web or desktop authentication sections above.

OAuth PKCE

Follow these steps to set up OAuth PKCE authentication:

  1. Set the AuthScheme to OAuthPKCE to perform authentication with PKCE.
  2. InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
  3. OAuthClientId: The client Id assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
  4. OAuthClientSecret: The client secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
  5. PKCEVerifier: The PKCE code verifier generated from executing the GetOAuthAuthorizationUrl stored procedure.

OAuthJWT

Set the AuthScheme to OAuthJWT.

To obtain the OAuthJWT consumer key:

  1. Log in to Salesforce.com.
  2. From Setup, enter Apps in the Quick Find box and then click the resulting link to create an app. In the Connected Apps section of the resulting page, click New.
  3. Enter a name to be displayed to users when they log in to grant permissions to your app, along with a contact Email address.
  4. Click Enable OAuth Settings and enter a value in the Callback URL box. This value is not needed for this type of authentication, but the Salesforce UI requires that it is set. The Callback URL is in the format: 
    http://localhost:8019/src/oauthCallback.rst
  5. Enable Use digital signatures.
  6. Upload your certificate.
  7. Select the scope of permissions that your app requests from the user.
  8. Click your app name to open a page with information about your app. The OAuth consumer key is displayed.

After creating your OAuth Application, set the following connection properties:

  • InitiateOAuth: GETANDREFRESH.
  • OAuthJWTCert: The JWT certificate store.
  • OAuthJWTCertType: The type of certificate store specified by OAuthJWTCert.
  • OAuthJWTCertPassword: The password of the JWT certificate store.
  • OAuthJWTIssuer: The OAuth Client ID.
  • OAuthJWTSubject: The username (email address) of the permitted user profile configured in the connected OAuth app.

Note: This flow never issues a refresh token.

Next Step

See Using the Connector to create data visualizations.

Copyright (c) 2025 CData Software, Inc. - All rights reserved.
Build 25.0.9434