The connector comes with a connection builder which allows you to build and test your connection settings outside of Tableau. It also allows you to create a connection string, which can be used to provide options not listed in the connection dialog in Tableau.

Configuring a Connection Builder

There are two ways to access the connection builder:

• On Windows, there is a shortcut called Connection Builder in the start menu, under the CData Tableau Connector for QuickBooks folder.
• The connection builder can also be started 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 the Test Connection button to validate that they work. You can also use the Copy to Clipboard button to save the connection string for use with Tableau.

Connecting to QuickBooks

The connector makes requests to QuickBooks through the QuickBooks Gateway. The QuickBooks Gateway runs on the same machine as QuickBooks and accepts connections through a lightweight, embedded Web server. The server supports SSL/TLS, enabling users to connect securely from remote machines. The first time you connect, you will need to authorize the connector with QuickBooks. For more information, refer to our Using the QuickBooks Gateway guide.

Next Step

See Getting Data for the next step, which includes authenticating to the QuickBooks APIs.