Tableau and google analytics integration

Yes, you can use Google Analytics (GA) to track user navigation and interactions on Tableau Server dashboards, but there are some important considerations:

Approaches to Track Tableau Server Usage with Google Analytics

1. Using Google Analytics JavaScript in Tableau Web

• If your Tableau dashboards are embedded in a web application, you can add Google Analytics tracking scripts to the web pages.

• This will allow GA to capture user navigation, page views, and interactions.

• Example: If your dashboards are embedded using Tableau’s JavaScript API, you can include GA’s tracking script on the hosting web page.

✅ Best for: Tableau dashboards embedded in web apps.

❌ Not possible for: Native Tableau Server (no direct GA script injection).

2. Tracking User Activity via Tableau Server Logs

• Tableau Server itself does not support Google Analytics natively, but you can track user navigation via Tableau’s usage logs.

• You can extract data from:

• Tableau Repository (PostgreSQL DB) → Tracks logins, dashboard views, and user interactions.

• VizQL Server Logs → Records detailed interactions.

✅ Best for: Internal Tableau Server usage tracking.

❌ Doesn’t provide: Real-time analytics like GA.

3. Using Google Tag Manager (GTM) for Embedded Tableau Dashboards

• If Tableau dashboards are embedded in a web portal, you can use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to track events like:

• Page loads

• Button clicks

• Dashboard filters applied

✅ Best for: Embedded dashboards where GTM is implemented.

❌ Not applicable: Directly within Tableau Server.

Alternative: Tableau Server Built-in Monitoring

• If GA is not an option, consider Tableau Server’s built-in monitoring:

• Admin Views → Provides insights into user activity.

• Custom SQL Queries on Tableau Repository → Query historical_events, http_requests, etc.

• Third-Party Monitoring Tools → Tools like New Relic or Splunk can provide similar insights.

Conclusion: Can You Use GA in Tableau Web?

✔ Yes, if Tableau dashboards are embedded in a web app (via JavaScript API + GA tracking).

❌ No direct GA tracking for standalone Tableau Server dashboards (use Tableau logs instead).



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