Can Tableau Connect to MongoDB?

Thinking about visualizing your rich, flexible MongoDB data with Tableau’s powerful, user-friendly interface? The quick answer is yes, you absolutely can connect Tableau to MongoDB. The process isn't a direct one-click connection like you'd find with a traditional SQL database, but it's entirely possible with the right tools. This article will walk you through the two primary methods for bridging this gap: using MongoDB’s official BI Connector and leveraging third-party ODBC drivers.

Why Connect Tableau and MongoDB in the First Place?

On the surface, Tableau and MongoDB seem like they come from different worlds. Understanding their individual strengths makes it clear why bringing them together is so powerful for modern data analysis.

Tableau is a market leader in business intelligence and data visualization. Its strength lies in its intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows anyone, regardless of their technical background, to create stunning dashboards and reports. However, Tableau was born in an era of structured, relational databases. It thrives on data that is neatly organized into tables with predefined rows and columns, just like a pristine Excel spreadsheet.

MongoDB, on the other hand, is a leading NoSQL database designed for the flexibility and scale required by modern applications. Instead of rigid tables, it stores data in JSON-style documents. This structure is incredibly powerful for handling diverse and evolving data types — like user profiles that may have different fields, product catalogs with varying attributes, or logs from multiple services.

The challenge arises from this fundamental difference. Tableau wants to speak SQL and see tables, while MongoDB speaks its own query language and thinks in documents. Trying to connect them directly is like trying to have a conversation between two people who speak completely different languages. So, how do you get them talking? You need a translator.

The Two Main Routes for Connection: An Overview

To connect these two powerhouses, you need a translation layer that makes your MongoDB data look like a standard relational database that Tableau can understand. There are two well-trodden paths to accomplish this.

Method 1: The MongoDB BI Connector. This is the official, purpose-built solution from MongoDB. It’s a smart tool that installs on your server and acts as a translation layer, presenting your MongoDB collections as relational tables over a standard MySQL connection. Tableau thinks it's talking to MySQL, but the BI Connector is intelligently translating those SQL queries into MongoDB-native queries behind the scenes. This is the recommended method for most users, especially for production environments.
Method 2: Third-Party ODBC/JDBC Drivers. Several independent software companies develop and sell their own high-performance drivers that connect various BI tools to NoSQL data sources. These drivers work on a similar principle to the BI Connector but are developed and supported by outside vendors. They offer another reliable — though often paid — path to connecting Tableau and MongoDB.

Let's break down how to use each of these methods, starting with the official route.

Step-by-Step Guide: Using the MongoDB BI Connector

Using the official BI Connector is the most robust and widely-supported method. It might seem intimidating at first because it involves a bit of command-line work, but following the steps will make it a manageable process.

Step 1: Get Your Prerequisites in Order

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

A MongoDB Instance: The BI Connector works with MongoDB Atlas (the fully-managed cloud version), MongoDB Enterprise Advanced (on-premises), or the free MongoDB Community Edition.
Administrative Access: You'll need credentials and permissions to install software on your server and access your MongoDB database.
Tableau Desktop: You’ll naturally need an installed version of Tableau Desktop.

Step 2: Install and Configure the MongoDB BI Connector

This is where the magic happens. The BI Connector consists of a service called mongosqld that sits between your database and Tableau.

Download the BI Connector: Head to the MongoDB Download Center and download the correct version of the BI Connector for your server’s operating system (Linux, Windows, or macOS).
Start the Mongosqld Service: Once installed, you need to start the mongosqld process. You can do this with a single command-line instruction or a configuration file. A configuration file is generally easier for managing options. A very basic command could look like this:

mongosqld --mongo-uri="mongodb://your-mongodb-host:27017"

This simple command connects to your MongoDB instance and starts the service. In a real-world scenario, you’d likely use a configuration file ('.yml') to specify more options, like logging outputs or security settings (TLS/SSL). When mongosqld starts for the first time, it samples your data to automatically generate a schema — a map of how your MongoDB documents should be represented as relational tables.

Step 3: Install the MySQL ODBC Driver

Because the BI Connector cleverly masquerades as a MySQL database, Tableau needs the correct driver to communicate with it. You'll need to install the MySQL ODBC driver, not a MongoDB one.

Go to the official MySQL Community Downloads page.
Download and install the "Connector/ODBC" for your operating system (the machine where Tableau Desktop is installed). This typically involves a standard installation wizard.

Step 4: Connect from Tableau Desktop

With the BI Connector running and the MySQL driver installed, you're ready to connect everything in Tableau.

Open Tableau Desktop.
On the connection pane on the left, under "To a Server," click on MySQL. Do not look for a "MongoDB" option, you are connecting to the BI Connector, which looks like MySQL.
A connection dialog box will open. In the "Server" field, enter the hostname or IP address of the server where the mongosqld service is running. If it's on the same machine, you can likely use localhost. The default port is 3307.
In the "Database" field, enter the name of the MongoDB database you want to connect to.
Enter the username and password for a user that has access to that MongoDB database.
Click Sign In.

If all goes well, you’ll be connected! You will see your MongoDB collections listed as "Tables" in the Tableau data source pane. Now you can drag them onto the canvas and start building interactive visualizations just as you would with any other data source.

An Alternative Route: Third-Party ODBC Drivers

If you prefer a more GUI-driven setup or need dedicated support, third-party drivers are an excellent alternative. Companies like CData, Simba (Magnitude), and Devart create specialized ODBC drivers for connecting Tableau to MongoDB. The process is generally similar for all of them.

Step 1: Purchase and Install the Driver

First, you’ll need to research which vendor best suits your needs and budget. Once you've chosen a provider, purchase and download their MongoDB ODBC driver. The installation is usually a straightforward wizard-based process on both Windows and macOS.

Step 2: Configure a Data Source Name (DSN)

After installation, you'll need to create a DSN. A DSN is essentially a saved configuration that points to your database, so you don't have to re-enter all the details every time you connect.

On Windows, you do this through the "ODBC Data Source Administrator."
On a Mac, this is usually managed through an application that comes with the driver.

During DSN setup, you’ll provide information like your MongoDB server address, port, database name, and authentication credentials.

Step 3: Connect from Tableau Desktop

Once your DSN is configured, connecting in Tableau is simple.

Open Tableau Desktop.
In the connection pane, go to "To a Server" and select Other Databases (ODBC).
In the ODBC dialog box, select the DSN you just created from the dropdown menu.
Click Connect and sign in with your credentials if prompted.

You should now see all your schema data available in Tableau, ready for analysis.

Quick Tips for a Smooth Connection

Regardless of the method you choose, keeping these pointers in mind can save you headaches.

Schema Awareness is Key: MongoDB is schema-flexible, but Tableau needs a defined structure. Both the BI Connector and third-party drivers work by sampling your data to infer a schema. If documents within the same collection have wildly different structures, you might get unexpected results. If possible, standardize the structure of the data you intend to analyze.
Take Advantage of Aggregation Views: For complex data, consider creating a view in MongoDB using the Aggregation Framework. This allows you to pre-process, join, and reshape your data on the database side, presenting Tableau with a clean, performant, "virtual" table ready for visualization.
Index for Performance: The queries that Tableau generates will be translated into MongoDB queries. For your dashboards to be fast and responsive, especially with large datasets, ensure you have appropriate indexes on the fields you will be filtering or grouping by in MongoDB.

Final Thoughts

Connecting Tableau to MongoDB opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to apply powerful business intelligence techniques to your flexible, modern datasets. While not a native connection, using the MongoDB BI Connector bridges the gap effectively by acting as a universal translator, making your NoSQL data easily accessible to the structured world of Tableau.

While mastering connectors is crucial, it’s often just one piece of a bigger data puzzle. For many teams, the real challenge is bringing data from all their platforms — MongoDB, Salesforce, Google Analytics, ad channels — into a single, unified view without endless manual report building. We built Graphed to solve exactly that. Instead of wrangling multiple tools and connectors, you can connect your sources in minutes and simply ask questions in plain English to instantly generate real-time dashboards and reports.