How to configure SAML single sign-on for Tableau

ADSelfService Plus supports Active Directory (AD)-based single sign-on (SSO) for Tableau logins and many other SAML-enabled enterprise applications. When Tableau SAML SSO is enabled, users only have to log in to ADSelfService Plus, the identity provider, once. After logging in, users can securely access their Tableau account without having to enter their usernames and passwords again.

ADSelfService Plus supports both identity provider (IdP) and service provider (SP)-initiated SSO for Tableau.

IdP-initiated Tableau SSO: Users need to log in to the ADSelfService Plus user portal first, and then click  Tableau in the Applications tab to access Tableau.

SP-initiated Tableau SSO: Users can access their Tableau domain via a URL or bookmark. They will automatically be redirected to the ADSelfService Plus portal for login. Once they log in, they'll be automatically redirected and logged into the Tableau portal.

Follow this guide for setting up Tableau SSO logins

Configuring your Active Directory domain in ADSelfService Plus

Get the detailed steps here.

Getting the Tableau SAML SSO details from ADSelfService Plus

1. Log in to ADSelfService Plus with admin credentials.
2. Go to the Applications tab → Add Application,  and select Tableau from the applications displayed.

   

3. Enter the Application Name and Description.
4. Check the Enable Single Sign-On box.
5. Enter the Domain Name of your Tableau account. For example, if you use johndoe@tableau.com to log in to Tableau, then tableau.com is the domain name.
6. Enter the Account ID for your Tableau account. Get the Tableau Online entity ID from step 13.
7. Click Add Application.
8. In the pop-up that appears, download the Metadata file, and save it.

   

Configuring SSO settings in Tableau

9. Log in to Tableau using admin credentials.
10. Navigate to Settings → Authentication.

    

11. Select Enable an additional authentication method.
12. Select SAML, and click Edit Connection.
13. Copy the Tableau Online entity ID. Use it as the Account ID in step 6.

    

14. In the Import metadata file into Tableau Online section, click Browse, and select the metadata file you saved in step 8.

    

15. In the Match attributes section, update the values in the IdP Assertion Name column as follows: 
    • Email: Type email
    • Select the First name, Last name radio button.
    • First name: Type firstname
    • Last name: Type lastname
16. On the Parameters page, make sure the values appear as follows:

    Tableau Online field	Value
    Email	Email
    Email (attribute)	Email
    First Name	First Name
    Last Name	Last Name

17. Go to the Users tab, select a user, then select Actions → Authentication.

    

 
18. Now select the newly selected SSO configuration. Click Update.
 
19. Switch to the ADSelfService Plus portal. Go to the Applications tab and click the Edit icon adjacent to the Tableau app.
 
20. Enter the Tableau Online entity ID from step 13.

Your users can now log in to their Tableau accounts automatically using single sign-on.