Multiple organizations use PostgreSQL Servers to store their data depending upon various use cases. Visualizing this data can prove to be very useful to gather important insights which can help in the objective decision making in the organization. Tableau is a perfect Business Intelligence tool that can be used to visualize this data stored in PostgreSQL Server. Various functionalities and featured offered in Tableau can help to visualize this data and creating Dashboards in the most efficient manner.
In this article, you will be introduced to PostgreSQL, its use cases in various industries, and 2 methods to implement Tableau PostgreSQL Integration to visualize your PostgreSQL data on Tableau.
Table of Contents
Introduction to PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL was released in 1996 as a free and open-source RDBMS (relational database management system). Originally named Postgres, it is highly robust, reliable and stable database management software, supported by a 20 years old community that plays an essential role in PostgreSQL’s success. It supports different operating systems, including macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD.
The purpose of this datastore is to accumulate premium data types, support internet-based applications, solutions and products. And due to which thousands of companies are using PostgreSQL to operate their critical and non-critical data-driven applications. Nokia, Apple, BMW, Reddit, Spotify, NASA, Skype, Instagram, Twitch, Bloomberg are all the important names of business giants that are using PostgreSQL. The interface of PostgreSQL is not only limited to a single entity— it is everywhere in our lives, just like gravity.
‘‘The striving growth of PostgreSQL can be proven from the statistics that it is the second most popular system after MySQL, reported by Stack Overflow 2019 survey’’
Official documentation regarding PostgreSQL can be found here.
Understanding Use Cases for PostgreSQL
Some prominent use cases supported by PostgreSQL are as follows;
Financial & Transactional Industry
Big companies deploy PostgreSQL due to its Online Transaction Processing or OLTP, in short, capabilities. The software satisfies all the ACID properties crucial for business transactions and possesses an analytical database, provides smooth integration with Mathematical software, such as MATLAB and R. PostgreSQL, therefore, offers you almost all the financial and transactional features.
Web Technology
Another significant potential of PostgreSQL is that it supports both relational and NoSQL databases as well as leveraging web frameworks like Python, PHP, Node.js, Ruby on Rails, Java and many more. It is a great choice to run dynamic websites, applications and a powerful database in LAPP (Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, Python/PHP/Perl) stack. Thus, there’s no need to worry about scalability issues. You can switch from one language/framework to another without facing scalable challenges.
Industrial Manufacturing
PostgreSQL is a highly scalable database system to store and manage a bulk amount of data. The robust nature of PostgreSQL creates stellar growth in a manufacturing environment. With PostgreSQL, industrial manufacturers can experience reliable storage at minimal costs, drive customer-centric activities, maximize supply chain performance and boost innovations.
Geospatial Functionalities
PostgreSQL has a geospatial integration, PostGIS extension, to support location-based services, geographic objects, and geospatial facilities. The existence of a geospatial compatibility enables you to understand sales, profits and upshots accurately and to get optimized solutions for geospatial questions.
Research and Scientific Data
Research institutions and scientific departments generate a large amount of data every day. Handling, monitoring, managing and using terabytes of data can’t be done through paper or documentations. PostgreSQL offers a strong SQL engine carrying extensive analytical capabilities to process a large number of records efficiently. Moreover, PostgreSQL permits you to create your business logic, aggregation functions and algorithms to achieve high productivity in a database system. Also check out PostgreSQL GitHub Integration.
Procedure to Implement Tableau PostgreSQL Integration
Method 1: Tableau PostgreSQL Integration using Manual Method
Following general procedures are required to implement Tableau PostgreSQL Integration:
Tableau PostgreSQL Integration Part 1: Setting up PostgreSQL Account in Tableau
Since now, you’ve probably gained an idea of how important PostgreSQL is and can be for your business applications, it is time to explore more. In this blog, we’re revealing another secret with you about PostgreSQL; You can integrate PostgreSQL (aka Postgres) in Tableau. But you should install PostgreSQL database drivers first.
Step 1: Open Tableau Desktop.
Step 2: Move your cursor to Connect to A Server.
Image Source: https://www.tableau.com/
Step 3: Select PostgreSQL.
Image Source: https://www.tableau.com/
Step 4: Enter the name of Server.
Step 5: Select Port: 8060.
Step 6: Enter the name of Database: workgroup.
Step 7: Complete Authentication details like Username and Password.
Step 8: The PostgreSQL connection screen might look like this.
Image Source: https://www.tableau.com/
Step 9: Click on the Sign In option.
Step 10: A live connection will be established between Tableau and PostgreSQL.
Image Source: https://www.tableau.com/
Step 11: The Read-Only user has access to different tables starting from underscore as shown above.
Step 12: Select one or more tables to create a relationship between them.
Image Source: https://www.tableau.com/
Step 13: Open Worksheet or press Ctrl+M.
Tableau PostgreSQL Integration Part 2: Identifying a Tableau Server Version
If you want to determine the version of PostgreSQL, then perform the following steps:
Step 1: Sign into Tableau Server.
Step 2: Open a Task Manager.
Step 3: Move your cursor to the Details tab.
Step 4: Right-click over the postgre.exe processes.
Step 5: Select the properties.
Step 6: Identify the installed version of PostgreSQL.
For more information, see Supported Connectors.
Method 2: Tableau PostgreSQL Integration using Hevo
Hevo is a No-code Data Pipeline. It supports pre-built data integrations from 100+ data sources, including PostgreSQL Server. Hevo offers a fully managed solution for your data migration process to Tableau. It will automate your data flow in minutes without writing any line of code. Its fault-tolerant architecture makes sure that your data is secure and consistent. Hevo provides you with a truly efficient and fully automated solution to manage data in real-time and always have analysis-ready data at Tableau.
Hevo focuses on three simple steps to get you started:
- Connect: Connect Hevo with PostgreSQL Server and all your data sources by simply logging in with your credentials.
- Integrate: Consolidate your data from several sources in Hevo’s Managed Data Integration Platform and automatically transform it into an analysis-ready form.
- Visualize: Connect Hevo with your desired Reporting tool such as Tableau and visualize your unified data easily to gain better insights.
Let’s look at some salient features of Hevo:
- Fully Managed: It requires no management and maintenance as Hevo is a fully automated platform.
- Data Transformation: It provides a simple interface to perfect, modify, and enrich the data you want to transfer.
- Real-Time: Hevo offers real-time data migration. So, your data is always ready for analysis.
- Schema Management: Hevo can automatically detect the schema of the incoming data and maps it to the destination schema.
- Live Monitoring: Advanced monitoring gives you a one-stop view to watch all the activities that occur within pipelines.
- Live Support: Hevo team is available round the clock to extend exceptional support to its customers through chat, email, and support call.
Explore more about Hevo by signing up for a 14-day free trial today.
Conclusion
Tableau Desktop is the world’s leading BI visualization tool with extensive features to analyze data records and information. It allows you to connect with different databases like PostgreSQL to explore more about your data. Connection with promising relational database management systems (RDBMS) lets you monitor financial transactions, industrial manufacturing processes, geospatial services, research queries, and beyond. In this guide, we’ve explained how you can set up a live connection between Tableau Desktop and PostgreSQL.
If you want to learn more, see Tableau Desktop and Web Authoring.
Integrating and analyzing data from a huge set of diverse sources can be challenging, this is where Hevo comes into the picture. Hevo Data, a No-code Data Pipeline helps you transfer data from a source of your choice in a fully automated and secure manner without having to write the code repeatedly. Hevo with its strong integration with 100+ sources & BI tools, allows you to not only export & load Data but also transform & enrich your Data & make it analysis-ready in a jiffy.
Get started with Hevo today! Sign up here for a 14-day free trial
Syeda is a freelance writer having passion towards wiriting about data industry who creates informative content on data analytics, machine learning, AI, big data, and business intelligence topics.