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Tableau Desktop: Procurement and Activation

How to obtain access to Tableau Desktop

Tableau Desktop provides the ability to create data sources. If you are not, or will not be creating a new data source, please request Tableau Web Authoring access by emailing data-visualization@osu.edu. 

  • If you are a university student, please see Tableau's website to request a free Tableau license. 
  • If you are a faculty member, you may request Tableau Desktop for yourself or students via Tableau's website. 
  • If you are a Medical Center employee, please contact Jeff Line at jeffrey.line@osumc.edu. 

Licenses for students, faculty members, and Medical Center employees operate outside of the university’s Tableau environment. Please do not contact the Data Visualization team about these licenses.

Important Note:

Users should not purchase licenses from SHI or CDW. Licenses should be purchased via the process outlined below.

New Tableau Desktop License Orders

  1. Please check with the Project Leader for your area before requesting a license. Licenses may be available. If you do not have a Project Leader listed, skip to the next step.
  2. From FY25 – FY27, the cost per Desktop License will be $464. This amount will not be prorated.
  3. To order a new Creator License, please create a purchase order in Workday. Tableau Desktop licenses are in Buckeye Buy. Instructions on how to create a purchase order are available.
    1. In the internal memo line, please add the name.# of the person the license is for.
    2. If there are questions around how to create a purchase order in Workday, please reach out to your fiscal office.
  4. Once a purchase order has been approved by your college or department, please complete the Software License Request form in ServiceNow.
  5. Under License Information:
    1. Software Name: Tableau Creator License
    2. Licensee(s): Enter the name.#(s) of the individuals the purchase order is for. 

Helpful Note:

Users must be up to date on IDP training. If users are not up to date, you will not be able to order a license.

  1. Under Usage Type:
    1. Select Usage Type: Professional/Academic Use
    2. Enter the approved purchase order number.
  2. Review and agree to the terms of service.
  3. Select ‘Order Now’ to order the Tableau Desktop license.
  4. The OTDI Data Visualization team will receive notification and make your license as ‘Creator’.
  5. If the user is a new Creator, they may proceed to the next section on how to download and activate the software.

Please note:

  • Both steps of the process (Workday and ServiceNow) must be completed for a license to be assigned.
  • All licenses have the common renewal date of July 31st. Once a license is ordered, the license holder will be opted in to the license renewal process outlined under Yearly Renewals.
  • Tableau Creators are required to sign the Tableau Digital Accessibility Acknowledgement via DocuSign and accept the terms of Ohio State’s digital accessibility policy.
  • Tableau Creators are required to adhere to the Roles & Responsibilities. 
  • Questions around how to create a purchase order in Workday must be directed to your fiscal office. The Data Visualization team is unable to assist with Workday.
  • Medical Center employees are unable to order Tableau Desktop licenses via ServiceNow. If you are a Medical Center employee and need access to Tableau Desktop, please contact Jeffrey.line@osumc.edu. 

Should you need more immediate access to Tableau, you can download a free version from tableau.com. 

Please note, Tableau Desktop Free Edition does not allow users to share visualizations, dashboards, or reports. Nor does it allow users to connect to data sources on Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud.

Yearly Tableau Desktop License Renewals

Current Tableau Desktop license holders will receive an email notification from ServiceNow starting July 1st. They will be instructed to follow the process to renew their license. 

Email reminders will be sent during the month of July to those who have not renewed. 

If license holders do not renew their license by July 31st, they will be required to order a new license. Access to Tableau Desktop will be removed.

Tableau Desktop Software Activation

Instructions on how to download and activate your Tableau Desktop license. 

Once a license change has been confirmed by the Data Visualization team, go to Software Center. 

  1. Select Tableau Desktop and Tableau Prep to download

 

Critical Note:

If the software does not appear, contact your IT department to download and install Tableau Desktop 2025.1.4 and Tableau Prep 2025.1.1 from the Tableau website. If prompted to download maintenance patches (example, 2025.2 or versions higher than those listed), ignore those messages. 

  1. Once installed, open Tableau Desktop and authenticate
  2. Select the ‘Server’ option. The url is https://dataviz.rae.osu.edu (don’t forget the ‘s’).
  3. Type your name.# credentials. 

To get the most out of your Tableau license, below are some resources at Ohio State. 

Additional resources 

  • Tableau at Ohio State resource guide: Intended for those who build reports in Tableau, this compiles Ohio State resources, Tableau blogs, articles, and tutorials we have found helpful.
  • Tableau User Group: join the Ohio State TUG on Microsoft teams. While we do not oversee the group, we’re frequent contributors – often posting about upgrades, events, or working to answer questions.
  • Tableau Desktop Fundamentals: available on demand in BuckeyeLearn, this self-paced training takes users through Ohio State’s branding guidelines to connecting to a data source to building and publishing a dashboard. 

Please email data-visualization@osu.edu if you have trouble activating your license. 

Tableau is the university’s approved data visualization and report development platform. To operate Tableau Desktop as a developer (Creator), individuals must purchase an annual license, install the desktop application, and authenticate via Tableau Server. Before initiating a new license purchase, review the follow prerequisites. 

  • Before placing a new order, consult with your unit’s Tableau Project Leader. Your department or college may have unallocated licenses available for assignment. 
  • Complete Mandatory IDP training: All Creators must be up to date with their Institutional Data Policy (IDP) training in BuckeyeLearn. 
  • For fiscal years 2025 through 2027 (FY25 – FY27), a Tableau Desktop (Creator) license is billed at a flat rate of $464 per user per year. This cost is fixed, not prorated. 
  • All university-managed Tableau licenses operate under a synchronized renewal cycle with a universal expiration date of July 31st. Current license holders will receive renewal notifications starting July 1st. Failure to submit a renewal request and PO by July 31st results in license deactivation. 

Two-Step License Procurement

To obtain a brand-new Tableau Creator license, users must complete a two-step workflow in Workday and ServiceNow. Licenses must be acquired strictly through these official channels. Do not attempt to purchase licenses from third-party vendors such as SHI or CDW, as these orders cannot be activated. Both steps below are required:

STEP 1: Create a Purchase Order (PO) in Workday

You must submit a Purchase Order inside Workday utilizing the Buckeye Buy marketplace. In the Workday order form, the internal memo line must state the exact name.# of the intended licensee. If you have questions regarding Workday, please contact your fiscal team directly. The OTDI Data Visualization team is unable to assist with Workday transactions. 

STEP 2: Submit a ServiceNow Request

After your Workday Purchase Order is approved, log in to the ServiceNow portal and complete the Software License Request form. 

Overview

  1. Login to Workday (workday.osu.edu)
  2. Click to expand the menu in the upper left. Under ‘Organization’, select Request Travel or Purchase.
  3. Select Request to Procure Goods or Services
  4. On the right-hand side, under Requisition Details, select ‘Edit Details’.
  5. Under Requisition Type, select ‘Buckeye Buy Request’. Scroll down and select ‘Save Changes’.
  6. Under Requisition Details, select ‘Start Requisition’.
  7. Search for ‘Tableau’. Hit the ‘Enter’ key. 
  8. Select Tableau Desktop License (now to end of FY27). Add to cart. 
  9. Click the Cart icon in the upper right to view the cart and check out. 
  10. Click Checkout.
  11. In the Internal Memo field, please add a reason for ordering the license. 
  12. Click Submit. 

Purchase Order Approved; Request via ServiceNow

Once a purchase order has been approved, please copy the PO number from Workday. 

  1. Go to the Software License Request form in ServiceNow. Your information will auto-populate.
  2. Under ‘Software Name’ select Tableau Creator License.
  3. Under ‘Licensee(s)’, type in your own name.#. Please note, this will make sure the licensee(s) are up to date on the university’s Institutional Data Policy (IDP). This is required for a Tableau Desktop license. 
  4. Under ‘Usage Type’, select Professional/Academic Use. 
  5. Enter the PO number from Workday. 
  6. Review and check the box to agree to the Terms of Service. 
  7. Scroll to the top and select ‘Order Now’.