This tutorial demonstrates how to create dynamic links in Tableau that point to Salesforce records. It discusses integrating Tableau with Salesforce to allow users to leverage a transactional CRM solution alongside data visualization. The tutorial provides steps to create a calculated field in Tableau using the Salesforce record ID, build a dynamic URL action, publish the views and dashboard to Tableau Online, and embed the resulting dashboard in Salesforce.

1. Tutorial
Integrate Tableau Software
with Salesforce
Topic 4: Create dynamic links in Tableau pointing to
Salesforce record
TUTORIAL
Author: Mathieu Emanuelli

2. Tutorial
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................3
About tableau.........................................................................................................................................3
Benefits/Value Delivered........................................................................................................................3
IN TABLEAU .......................................................................................................................................3
Pre requisites..........................................................................................................................................3
Create calculated field based on ID........................................................................................................3
Create a dynamic URL based on dashboard action................................................................................5
Publish your view and dashboard...........................................................................................................6
Result in Salesforce.................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCE ........................................................................................................................................9
CONTACTS .........................................................................................................................................9

3. 2
Tutorial
Executive Summary
A transaction process system (TPS) is an information processing system for business transactions involving the
collection, modification and retrieval of all transaction data. Business Intelligence is a concept that usually involves
the delivery and the integration of relevant and useful business information across an organization. It is therefore
natural to imagine how these two concepts could live together within an organization.
I used to work with several TPS with a preference for a packaged solution that genuinely – naturally provided a
combination of CRM capabilities and business intelligence capabilities. This product, released on the market by
Oracle came after its acquisition of Siebel. Oracle decided to propose a powerful package composed of CRM
product (leveraging Siebel strong industry knowledge), an ETL and one of their business intelligence solutions
already customized to provide the highest value to its customers (Oracle Business Answer). Cherry on the cake this
package was and is (still) a cloud-based solution!
After numerous Oracle CRM on Demand implementations, I understood how significant the value of business
Intelligence combined with a TPS is to many companies. I was lucky to see Salesforce growing up and I was, from
the very beginning, impressed by the positioning of this vendor on IT markets. Indeed, Salesforce may provide the
most advanced – CRM traditional “modules” (Sales, Service and Marketing). On top, they are built on such a
powerful platform that I do not think it exists, in all in 1 solution, an equivalent in any other vendor portfolio.
Salesforce allows companies to create their own TPS without worrying about hardware or infrastructure.
Because business intelligence solutions should get the ability to connect several data sources and should provide
great data visualization and because I am a big fan of cloud solutions I started to look into solutions that might be
integrated with Salesforce. I tried some connectors such as Qlikview for Salesforce (here) and I had the opportunity
to use Tableau. I have done several configurations to see how far this integration might go and I decided to share
my experience in a couple of tutorials.
The tutorial you are reading aims to demonstrate capabilities that can be covered by the integration of Tableau
and Salesforce.

4. 3
Tutorial
INTRODUCTION
ABOUT TABLEAU
Tableau is a business intelligence software that allows anyone to easily connect to data, then visualize and create
interactive, shareable dashboards.
Gartner named Tableau a leader in its Business Intelligence Magic Quadrant report for the fourth straight year. As
the gold standard for business intelligence, Tableau is a leader in empowering the entire enterprise with modern
analytics.
BENEFITS/VALUE DELIVERED
Benefits to get tableau connected to Salesforce will allow customers to leverage the power of a solution allowing
to leverage a package transactional solution (Sales, service, and marketing) or our own transactional solution in the
Cloud and an incredible way to visualize and play with data.
Customers can deploy a cost effective Business Intelligence solution that will improve the way your organization
uses information, collaborates and makes decisions.
IN TABLEAU
PRE REQUISITES
Before you begin you need:
 Access to Tableau. Download Tableau desktop
 Access to Salesforce with enough rights. Then keep your username and password
 Data Integration between tableau and Salesforce already done (Whitepaper – topic 1)
 Get view and dashboard to embed
CREATE CALCULATED FIELD BASED ON ID
In order to display a dynamic link we will create a calculated field in Tableau.
Select the Record ID in the available field in Tableau :

5. 4
Tutorial
This calculated field will be the concatenation of the Salesforce Org and the ID:

6. 5
Tutorial
CREATE A DYNAMIC URL BASED ON DASHBOARD ACTION
Select Dashboard, Action:
Select URL and add a new action:

7. 6
Tutorial
Give a name to your link (this name will appear as a label of the hyperlink), select the sheet it will be applied to and
make sure that you are selecting the right URL (dynamic field we created previously):
You can also select how the dynamic URL will be launched:
 Thought mouse over: select “Over” option
 By clicking : select “Select” option
 Through the menu: select “Menu” option
PUBLISH YOUR VIEW AND DASHBOARD
When you created your views and dashboard you have to publish them either on Tableau server or on Tableau
online.

8. 7
Tutorial
To publish views and dashboard from Tableau Desktop to Tableau online:
Click on Server and then Publish Workbook:
RESULT IN SALESFORCE
Once the dashboard is embedded in Salesforce (please refer to Whitepaper Topic 2 and 3) you will see
the result:

9. 8
Tutorial
You can create multiple dynamic URL depending on your expectations

10. 9
Tutorial
REFERENCE
https://onlinehelp.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/examples_salesforce.html
https://onlinehelp.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/joining_tables.html
CONTACTS
Mathieu Emanuelli
Manager, Deloitte Digital Switzerland
memanuelli@deloitte.ch
Mobile +41 (0)79 948 69 96
Linkedin

11. 10
Tutorial
Author: Mathieu Emanuelli
Review: Caroline Ruegg