"Internal licensing error" When Activating Tableau Prep With a Product Key

Issue

When activating Tableau Prep with a product key (not LBLM), the following error may occur:

The product is unable to activate due to an internal licensing error. Contact your System Administrator.

Environment

Tableau Prep Builder
Not LBLM
Key activation using Flexnet

Resolution

Option 1: Verify that the FlexNet Licensing Service is running

Windows

From the Windows Start menu, open services.msc.
In the Services dialog box, verify that the status for the FlexNet Licensing Service is Started.

Note: If the Start option is grayed out, right-click FlexNet Licensing Service in the list and select Properties. On the General tab, click Start, then click OK to close the dialog box.

Mac

Start the Terminal application.
Navigate to the FlexNet directory:

'/Applications/Tableau Desktop <Tableau version.app>/Contents/Frameworks/FlexNet/'custactutil -view

For example '/Applications/Tableau Desktop 2018.2.app/Contents/Frameworks/FlexNet/'custactutil -view

Verify that the FlexNet Licensing Service is running. You should see Trust Flags = FULLY TRUSTED and Status = ENABLED.

Option 2

Ensure the license key being used to activate is a "Creator - Desktop & Prep" license key, beginning with the letters "TC." Desktop Professional keys (beginning with the letters "TD") are incompatible with Tableau Prep.

Option 3 (Windows Only): Verify the version of FNPLicensingService64.exe is 11.16.2.3

1. Navigate to the FNPLicensingService64.exe file (C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FlexNet Publisher\FNPLicensingService64.exe)
2. Right click on the exe, and choose Properties.
3. Click the Details tab and verify the "File version" shows 11.16.2.3