How to Set Up a Data Extract to Refresh on a Regular Basis on Tableau Server

There will be times when you will want to schedule a data extract for your dashboard to refresh from a live data source on a regular basis. This could be anything from end of day updates (e.g. for movers/leavers/joiners) to frequently updated data (e.g. market price movements) to refreshing annually updated data. Here is how to get Tableau Server to update your data sources:

  1. Open the data set in Tableau Desktop.
    Switching from live to extract

    Switching from live to extract

    Change the Connection settings from “Live” to “Extract”.

  2. Click on the “Sheet 1” tab. This will prompt you to save the extract locally (as a .tde).
  3. Publish to Server (either by using the Server menu or by right clicking on the data source icon at the top of the Data tab.)
  4. This will call up a menu that offers you the option to Refresh according to a schedule (with a dropdown to select when it should be refreshed). NB. To add a time that is not on the dropdown list, you need to set this up on Tableau Server.

    Click here to get this drop down menu

    Click here to get this drop down menu

  5. Hit that green Publish button!

 

Post Script

It looks like Tableau also prompts you to Schedule a Refresh when you publish to Server if you haven’t done so prior publishing.

Tableau prompt

Tableau prompt

Author:
Rachel Phang
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