Tableau Server & License Types

In order access Tableau Server to upload data and create visualizations, all users must purchase a license.  We are in a 3-year license agreement with Tableau, which ends on August 31, 2024.  Any license purchase made is for the duration of the agreement, e.g a single license purchase will expire on August 31, 2024.


Within Tableau Server there are three different license types each with their own levels of access, permissions and software availability: Creator, Explorer and Viewer.

Request a Tableau License

Overhead view of a table with several laptops and tech equipment on it, with people doing work

Creator

  • Creates visualizations, dashboards and data sources
  • License grants ability to administer a site on Tableau Server
  • License grants access to Tableau Desktop, a local installation for a single user
  • License grants access to Tableau Prep, a data manipulation/transformation tool
Winding road with tall evergreen trees surrounding it

Explorer

  • Creates visualizations and dashboards from from creator-curated data sources
  • License grants access to web-based editing using Tableau Server
  • License grants ability to administer site content on Tableau Server
Looking at a city scape through a lens from a pair of glasses

Viewer

  • Can interact and view visualizations and dashboards from creators and explorers

While we can use Tableau for a variety of applications such as research, teaching, and learning, we are primarily focusing on the administrative uses of the tool and how we can provide service to all Faculties, Schools and Administrative Units.

To that end, we use Tableau Server, installed and secured by ITS and integrated with Queen's Single Sign-On (SSO). Tableau Server provides us with a secure way to communicate administrative data to a broad audience. Within Tableau Server, we assign each unit a space, called a site, in which they can create custom data visualizations and control user access.

Below is a short video that outlines the use and capabilities of Tableau Server.

  See the YouTube video "What is Tableau Server?"