Salesforce Consultant Analytics-Con-301 Question # 3 Topic 1 Discussion

For implementing row-level security (RLS) without the Tableau Data Management Add-on, the best approach is to integrate user filters into the published data source:

Creating User Filters on Published Data Source: This method involves defining user filters that apply directly to the data source before it is published to the Tableau Server. This ensures that any workbook or view leveraging this data source inherently respects the row-level security settings.

To implement this, create a calculated field in Tableau that defines the security logic, typically using a formula that references user functions (like USERNAME() or ISMEMBEROF()). Drag this field to the Filters shelf and configure it to match the security rules (who can see what data).

Once configured, publish the data source to Tableau Server with these filters in place. This approach centralizes security management, making it easier to maintain and update security policies as they are applied universally to all workbooks using this data source.

This strategy is safe as it reduces the risk of accidental data exposure through individual workbook misconfiguration and simplifies long-term maintenance of security policies.

References

This method follows Tableau’s best practices for implementing row-level security as detailed in Tableau’s security management resources. It ensures robust, maintainable security measures that scale with organizational needs without requiring additional add-ons.