Can Tableau Reader connect to a workbook published on Tableau server in a remote location?

Question

I have multiple people that I want to access this workbook, but we have license restriction limits. My boss recommends tableau reader, but have never used it. The tableau workbook is published in a secure website and the tableau server program is stored in a Remote Desktop.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Answer 1

Tableau Reader can open Packaged Tableau workbooks. A packaged workbook is a tableau workbook file with the data saved along with it. It has twbx file extention. So if you have access to the workbook on your server and you can download it and the data, then Reader should work for your case.

Answer 2

Tableau Reader cannot connect to Tableau Server. You need to download the twbx file first. Either your users will need a shared account on tableau server which is restricted access to the content you want to provide.

Or your users could use tabcmd to download the content without directly signing into the server.

tabcmd login -s http://remotehost -u user -p password
tabcmd get "/workbooks/sharedReport.twbx" -f "C:\Workbooks\sharedReport.twbx"

The useful pro of the 2nd option is that it could be automated into a script and run from a schedule, perhaps under a different account so that end users are not aware of it.