Tableau Server (Prep Conductor) Flow Set to Network Share Fails with "The output file path is not valid or you don't have permissions to write to the file. Check permissions, verify this file path is in the safelist, or use a valid output file path."

Issue

A Tableau Server Prep Conductor flow run set to network share fails when the Safe List for input and output paths are set. The error displays as follows:

The output file path is not valid or you don't have permissions to write to the file. Check permissions, verify this file path is in the safelist, or use a valid output file path.

Environment

Tableau Server
Tableau Prep Conductor
Windows Server
Run As User permissions

Resolution

Ensure the following has been completed:

Follow the steps listed in the Tableau Online Help - Step 4: Safe list Input and Output locations and note the following:

To save flow output to a network share, you must first configure a Run As user(Link opens in a new window) service account on Tableau Server. You cannot save flows to a network share using the default system account. Then configure the target directory on the network share for Full Control permissions for the Run As user account you created.

Depending on how your organization manages nested folder permissions, you may need to grant additional permissions in the folder hierarchy, with a minimum of Read, Write, Execute, Delete, and List Folder permission, to allow the Run As user account access to the target folder.

Cause

The Tableau Server Run As User (RAU) does not have the necessary permissions to write/overwrite the output file to the Network path.

If there are other AD Groups in the same network path as the RAU, those AD Groups may be overwriting the RAU's effective permissions needed to write/overwrite.

Quickly rule this out by ensuring ONLY the RAU has permissions to the network share path, and NO other AD Groups are set under the 'Security' tab for the network path permission structure.

Additional Information

Troubleshooting steps if the RAU account has Full Control but the failure continues to occur:

1. Remove all other AD groups under 'Security' tab for the network share path the RAU is having issues writing/overwriting
2. Ensure ONLY the RAU has Full Control permissions to the network path -- this will help rule out any AD groups contending with the RAU's permissions.