If you would like to use SAML for authentication with your Curator users, but do not want to use a 3rd party tool (e.g. Okta) you're in luck - you can utilize Curator as your Identity Provider (IdP)! However, there is one important caveat: if you set up Curator as your IdP by following the instructions for Curator Users below, you will also need to make Curator your IdP for any connected applications (e.g. Tableau Online). If you set up Curator as your IdP for Tableau ALL users will see the Curator login when trying to access Tableau directly, they will then be redirected back to whichever entry point they came in from (e.g. Tableau Online will redirect back to Tableau's homepage and Curator will redirect back to Curator's homepage).

NOTE: This setup will not work with Tableau Server, and is not needed due to the availability of using Trusted Ticket on Tableau Server.

1. Curator Setup

If you have not installed Curator yet, please refer to our installation documentation in the setup section on the left-hand side menu.

Also ensure you have connected to your Tableau Online instance following the REST API Integration steps.

2. Retrieve Tableau SAML Details

Next, navigate to your Tableau Online instance and find the Tableau Entity ID and the Assertion Consumer Service URL (ACS) by setting your Authentication type to SAML.
Tableau Online Documentation for reference

3. Curator IdP Setup

1. Navigate to the Settings > Security > SAML IdP section from the left-hand menu.

2. Fill out the required fields:

   • For the Curator Entity ID enter the URL of your curator website
   • For the Tableau Entity ID paste in the value you retrieved from the previous step
   • For the Assertion Consumer Service URL (ACS) paste in the values

3. Once the form is completed, click the "Auto-Generate Key/Cert" button and fill out the form, then click "Generate".

4. Save this page

5. After saved successfully, click the "Download Metadata" button at the top and save this file, it will default to "curator_metadata.xml".

4. Setup Tableau Online SAML

1. Return to Tableau Online
2. Click the Settings menu item on the left, then the Authentication tab at the top of the page.
3. Ensure "SAML" is selected under the "Enable an additional authentication method" section.
4. Find the "Import metadata file into Tableau Online" section, and upload the "curator_metadata.xml" file you download in the previous step then click "Apply"
5. In the "Match attributes" below, ensure the "Identity Provider (IdP) Assertion Name" is set to "email", and select "Full name" for "Display Name", and change the value to "full_name" and click "Apply"

Last, you can click the "test connection" button in the Import metadata file into Tableau Online section to ensure your SAML authentication has been set up correctly to direct users to Curator. You should see your Curator login screen appear (if you are not already logged in).

5. Tableau Online User Configuration

You can now change individual users on the list-users screen in Tableau Online by changing the user's configuration to SAML.

6. Testing Your Curator Users Authentication

1. Navigate to the Settings > Tableau > Frontend Users section from the left-hand menu.
2. Click the "Sync from Tableau" button
3. Once the sync has finished, open an igcognito window in your web-browser
4. Visit your Tableau Online site and log in with a user that has been registered as a SAML user on Tableau Online.
5. You will be redirected to Curator to login, after which you will be redirected again to Tableau Online.
6. You have now set up Curator as your SAML IdP, nice work!