PYTHON TO TABLEAU

Connecting Python to Tableau provides a powerful combination for data analysis and visualization. Tableau can leverage Python scripts to perform complex calculations, data processing, or advanced analytics which are not natively possible within Tableau. Here’s how you can integrate Python with Tableau:

Prerequisites

1. Python: Ensure Python is installed on your system.
2. Tableau Desktop: You should have Tableau Desktop installed.
3. TabPy: Install TabPy (Tableau Python Server), which is an external service that allows Tableau to execute Python code remotely.

Installing TabPy

• Use pip to install TabPy. Run the following command in your command prompt or terminal: pip install tabpy
• After installation, you can start the TabPy server by executing tabpy.

Steps to Connect Python to Tableau

1. Configure Tableau to Use TabPy:
   1. Open Tableau Desktop.
   2. Go to ‘Help’ > ‘Settings and Performance’ > ‘Manage External Service Connection’.
   3. Choose ‘Service: External Service’.
   4. Set ‘Host’ to the address where TabPy is running (typically localhost if it’s on the same machine).
   5. Set ‘Port’ to the TabPy server port (default is 9004).
   6. Click ‘Test Connection’ to make sure Tableau can communicate with TabPy, then click ‘OK’.
2. Using Python in Tableau:
   1. In Tableau, go to a worksheet.
   2. Open the ‘Calculated Field’ dialog.
   3. You can write Python scripts in the calculated field window using the SCRIPT functions (SCRIPT_REAL, SCRIPT_INT, etc.). These functions allow you to send data from Tableau to Python, execute the Python script, and return the results to Tableau.
   4. For example, a simple Python script in a calculated field might look like this: SCRIPT_REAL(“return sum(_arg1)”, SUM([YourFieldName]))
   5. Replace YourFieldName with the field you want to analyze.
3. Refreshing Python Scripts:
   1. When you use Python in calculated fields, the Python script will run whenever the view is updated or the data is refreshed.