Answer

Get started

To prepare for a successful Bridge deployment, review the articles linked below:

• Use Bridge to Keep Data Fresh: Learn what Bridge is, how it works, and who can use it.
• Connectivity with Bridge: Review supported data source connectors, types of connections, and when to consider alternatives to Bridge.
• Plan Your Bridge Deployment: Prepare to deploy Bridge in your environment by reviewing our recommendations, best practices, and planning tasks.
• Install Tableau Bridge: Set up and install Bridge.
• Tableau Bridge Latest Release: Download the latest version of Bridge.

Before you set up Bridge, you should be aware of a few known limitations with the client:

• Bridge is only available on Windows. We recommend installing Bridge on a dedicated Windows virtual machine behind your firewall.
• Bridge has limited support for Web Data Connector (WDC) data source types. Only WDCs with basic authentication are supported. For more information about different WDC authentication types, see WDC Authentication.
• For file-based data sources (such as Excel or CSV), you must use a Legacy schedule instead of using an Cloud refresh schedule. For more information on setting up a Legacy Schedule, see Set Up a Legacy Schedule.
• Bridge supports separately published data sources only. If your data sources are embedded in your workbooks, you’ll need to publish the data sources separately before scheduling them with Bridge. We’ll talk more about this in the sections below.
• Neither Tableau Cloud nor Bridge supports connections to any cube-based data sources.

Migrate your data sources and workbooks

The steps you take during the migration will depend on a combination of two factors: whether your data sources are published separately or embedded, and whether the connections are live or extracts. To complete your migration, complete the steps in each section below that are relevant to your scenario. If you have workbooks that fit multiple scenarios, complete the steps in all applicable scenarios.

Workbook connects to published, live data sources

In this scenario, the workbook connects to separately published, live data sources.

• Under Planning, go to Workbooks > Selection and select the workbooks you want to migrate.
• Under Published Data Sources > Selection, select the data sources you want to migrate.
• Under Published Data Sources > Transformations, select Add Transformation > Use Tableau Bridge.
• In most cases, leave all fields to their default setting, “Match Any”. Click OK.
• Run the migration.

No further steps are needed when the migration is complete.

Workbook connects to published extracts

In this scenario, the workbook connects to separately published extracts.

Part I. Use CMT to migrate content

• Under Planning, go to Workbooks > Selection and select the workbooks you want to migrate.
• Under Published Data Sources > Selection, select the data sources you want to migrate.
• Under Published Data Sources > Transformations, select Add Transformation > Use Tableau Bridge.
• In most cases, leave all fields to their default setting, “Match Any”. Click OK.
• Run the migration.

Part II. Schedule refreshes in Bridge

• In a web browser, log in to Tableau Cloud.
• Go to Explore > Data sources.
• For each published data source, choose the appropriate steps below:
  • For flat files (like Excel or CSV):
    • Next to the data source name, click the More actions icon (...) and then select Schedule with Bridge (Legacy)...
    • Select a Bridge computer.
    • Configure the refresh schedule.
    • Click Create.
  • For all other data sources:
    • On the Extract Refreshes tab, click New Extract Refresh.
    • Configure the refresh schedule.
    • Click Create.

Workbook connects to embedded data sources

In this scenario, the workbook connects to embedded data sources, whether live, extract, or both. Tableau Bridge can only refresh separately published data sources. As part of the migration, you’ll convert embedded connections to published connections.

Part I: Use CMT to migrate content

• Under Planning, go to Workbooks > Selection and select the workbooks you want to migrate.
• Run the migration.

Part II: Republish the content

• In a web browser, log in to Tableau Cloud.
• From the navigation menu, click Explore, and then select All Workbooks.
• Next to the workbook name, click the More actions icon (…) and then select Download.
• Open the workbook in Tableau Desktop.
• Go to Server > Sign In. If you’re already signed into Tableau Cloud, skip to the next step. If you’re already signed into Tableau Server, sign out of Tableau Server, then sign in to Tableau Cloud.
• Go to Server > Publish Workbook.
• Under Data Sources, click Edit.
• For all data sources, change the Publish Type drop-down to Published Separately. For the Authentication drop-down, choose Embedded password.
• Click Publish.

Repeat for all workbooks that connect to embedded data sources.

Part III: Schedule refreshes in Bridge (extracts only)

• In a web browser, log in to Tableau Cloud.
• Go to Explore > Data sources.
• For each published data source, choose the appropriate steps below:
  • For flat files (like Excel or CSV):
    • Next to the data source name, click the More actions icon (...) and then select Schedule with Bridge (Legacy)...
    • Select a Bridge computer.
    • Configure the refresh schedule.
    • Click Create.
  • For all other data sources:
    • On the Extract Refreshes tab, click New Extract Refresh.
    • Configure the refresh schedule.
    • Click Create.

Troubleshoot common issues with Tableau Bridge and CMT

Data source does not refresh successfully after migrating from CMT and scheduling to run in Tableau Bridge

Download the latest version of Tableau Desktop, republish the data source to Tableau Cloud, and set it up to refresh using Bridge. For more information, see the below links:

• Download Latest Version of Desktop
• Set up a Bridge Schedule

Can't find the Run Now option in Cloud for Tableau Bridge

The Run Now option in Tableau Cloud is not available on individual data source pages for data sources that use Bridge (legacy) schedules. In most cases, a manual refresh of a data source that uses a Bridge (legacy) schedule can only be performed from the client that the data source is linked to. The Run Now option is available for non-legacy schedules directly in Tableau Online.

On-premise embedded data sources do not refresh in Tableau Online after the migration

My on-premise data source that is embedded in a workbook is not refreshing after migrating over from using the Content Migration Tool. Data sources must be published individually to be refreshed using Tableau Bridge. For more information, see the section titled “Workbook connects to embedded data sources” above.

Error "Valid license required for source server. Verify that the Advanced Management license is enabled and try again." when using CMT

The Content Migration Tool must be licensed prior to running the migration, unless you are using a current pre-release version of CMT. For more information about the error, see this Knowledge Base article.

Some data sources are not listed or missing from the client

Data sources that use Online refresh (formerly called Recommended) schedules or whose schedules have been migrated to use Online refresh schedules are not visible from the client. As a site admin, you can monitor data sources with Online refresh schedules using the Jobs page. For more information, see About Bridge Refresh jobs. Data sources that use live queries and Bridge (legacy) schedules (which includes schedules created with Bridge 2020.1 and earlier) continue to display in the client.