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Leveraging Tableau OEM, Retail, or Both?

Tableau Retail: Tableau software that can be acquired directly from Tableau, DataSelf or other Tableau Resellers.

Tableau OEM: DataSelf’s private label version of Tableau. It’s a more affordable Tableau version, can only be acquired as part of DataSelf solutions, and for most clients is as functional as the Tableau Retail version.

Tableau Retail & OEM: Using both Tableau versions is a great fit for organizations that want to give some users the freedom to explore new data sources and publish them to the Tableau server anytime and anywhere. And at the same time, they want to be sure that only vetted data is reliably distributed to a larger user base.

In this scenario, some users have access to Tableau Retail Creator. They’ll explore new data sets and share their findings with a small number of other users for proof of concept purposes (via downloads of reports or giving the other users Tableau Online Explorer licenses).

Once the new data sets and their reports have been approved to be distributed to a larger user base, the IT & BI team incorporates the new data sets via the data warehouse, vetting the process and being sure data accuracy, reliability, and auto refresh are properly configured. Then Tableau data sources and workbooks are loaded to Tableau Server OEM, and finally, security access to the new data sets are set up for other users.

Most of our clients start their DataSelf journey with Tableau OEM. If or when they see the need to facilitate new data set exploration, there are discussions to evaluate their needs, and some invest in DataSelf data warehouse training, others also invest in some Tableau Retail licenses.

Comparisons

Tableau Retail

Tableau OEM

Tableau Retail +OEM

Price: Tableau Retail regular pricing.

Explorer user: significantly lower price. Desktop user: similar price. Viewer: about half the price.

Both.

About 10% of DataSelf installations.

About 75% of DataSelf installations.

About 15% of DataSelf installations.

Freedom for Creator users to explore any data source and publish it to Tableau server.

Freedom for Desktop users to explore any data from the data warehouse and publish it to Tableau server.

Freedom for Creator users to explore any data source and publish it to Tableau server.

Using a data warehouse is optional. Reports with simpler data preparation needs can be built and distributed more quickly.

Reports with simple and sophisticated data preparation needs can be quickly built and distributed.

Reports with simple and sophisticated data preparation needs can be quickly built and distributed.

Easier to set up real-time data refresh.

More robust near real-time data refreshes. Real-time refresh available from MS SQL.

Both options available.

Tableau Prep is available for data extraction and manipulation.

DataSelf ETL+ for data extraction and manipulation.

Tableau Prep and ETL+ available.

Any data can go directly to Tableau Server.

All data going to Tableau Server must pass through a vetting process by the IT/BI teams. This increases the reliability and accuracy of the data.

All data going to Tableau Server must pass through a vetting process by the IT/BI teams. This increases the reliability and accuracy of the data.

Easier to bring new data sources to Tableau server.

It takes more effort to bring new data sources to Tableau server. This usually increases data governance.

It takes more effort to bring new data sources to Tableau server. This usually increases data governance.

Harder to enforce a single version of the truth.

Easier to enforce a single version of the truth.

Easier to enforce a single version of the truth.

Harder to enforce data governance.

Easier to enforce data governance.

Easier to enforce data governance.

Tableau Retail tools provide some level of ETL features.

ETL+ for data warehousing needs.

Tableau Retail and ETL+ for warehousing features.

Potential performance hit from source system databases. This can be even more critical when enabling real-time data refresh.

Source systems with minimal performance impact, while providing top speed for data refreshes.

Source systems with minimal performance impact, while providing top speed for data refreshes.

User licenses available: Creator, Explorer, Viewer.

User licenses available: Creator, and unified Explorer/Viewer. Admin users can change Explorer <> Viewer allocation.

Both.

More time-consuming user license management. License changes require new license keys.

Easier user license management. Admin users can change Explorer <> Viewer allocation.

Both.

Maintaining a data warehouse is optional.

ETL+ makes data warehouse maintenance easy.

ETL+ makes data warehouse maintenance easy.

Page on “DataSelf Tableau – Retail vs. OEM” from DataSelf.com

DataSelf Product Names from older wiki

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