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Connecting to Snowflake with Tableau

This guide will walk you through connecting Tableau to your Snowflake data using SSO (Single Sign-On). Once connected, you’ll be able to create visualizations and analyze your data seamlessly.

 

Note: Your account must have a security integration set up for each BI tool you want to connect to Snowflake. The following instructions assume the necessary security integrations are in place. Work with your account relationship managers to get new tool access.

Step 1: Open Tableau and Start a New Connection

  1. Open Tableau Desktop on your computer.
  2. From the Connect pane on the left-hand side, select Snowflake under the "To a Server" section.

Step 2: Enter Your Snowflake Account Information

  1. In the Snowflake connection window, fill out the required fields:

    • Server: Enter your Snowflake account URL, typically formatted as account-name.snowflakecomputing.com. 
    • Warehouse: Enter the name of the Snowflake warehouse you want to use (provided by iSeatz). By default, Reader Accounts will only have one warehouse. You can identify available warehouses in Snowflake using the SHOW WAREHOUSES command. Look for a warehouse that begins with "IZ".
    • Role: Enter your Snowflake role (e.g., READER_USER).

  2. Check the Use External Browser for Authentication box. This enables SSO for your connection.

  3. Click Sign In.

Step 3: Authenticate with SSO

  1. Your default web browser will open automatically, directing you to the Snowflake login page.

  2. Follow the steps outlined in Login to a Snowflake Reader Account to complete SSO authentication:

    • Enter your email address and click Next.
    • Complete authentication via your organization’s SSO provider (e.g., Okta, Duo, or Microsoft Authenticator).
    • If required, perform any additional steps such as 2FA or biometrics.

  3. After successful authentication, your browser will confirm that you’re connected, and Tableau will automatically complete the connection.

Step 4: Select Your Database and Table

  1. Once connected, Tableau will display a list of available databases in your Snowflake account.
  2. Select the database, schema, and table or view you want to use for your analysis.
  3. Drag the selected table or view to the Canvas area to start building your data source.

Step 5: Create Visualizations

  1. Click Sheet 1 in Tableau to open a new worksheet.
  2. Begin building your visualizations by dragging fields from the Data pane to the Columns or Rows shelves.
  3. Apply filters, add measures, and customize your chart type as needed to visualize your data.

Tips & Troubleshooting

  • Connection Errors: If you encounter issues during SSO login, ensure that:
    • You’ve entered the correct Snowflake account URL in Tableau.
    • Your SSO credentials are valid (refer to Login to a Snowflake Reader Account).
    • Your Tableau version supports SSO for Snowflake.
  • Data Access: If you don’t see the expected tables or views, confirm that your Snowflake role has the necessary permissions.
  • Performance: For large datasets, use Tableau’s extract feature to create a local copy of the data for faster performance.

Need More Help?

For further assistance with connecting Tableau to Snowflake or troubleshooting, reach out to your IT team or the colleague managing your organization’s Snowflake relationship with iSeatz.

Happy visualizing!