Introduction
As the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries continue to evolve at a
rapid pace, the adoption of innovative solutions becomes imperative for
organizations aiming to maintain a competitive edge. In this dynamic
landscape of healthcare and pharma sales, the ability to engage with
healthcare professionals (HCPs) in a targeted and timely manner is
crucial for driving business success.
Traditionally, sales representatives in these industries have grappled
with the challenge of identifying and prioritizing the most relevant
HCPs within their territories. This task has often involved navigating
through cumbersome dashboards and conducting extensive data analysis.
The sheer volume and complexity of data, encompassing prescription
patterns, historical interactions, and individual HCP preferences, have
made it increasingly difficult to efficiently allocate sales resources
and target the right professionals effectively. Consequently, delays,
missed opportunities, and suboptimal resource allocation have been
common pitfalls in the traditional sales approach.
However, a paradigm shift is underway, propelled by advancements in
technology and analytics. Emerging solutions leverage the power of
Tableau subscriptions in conjunction with advanced analytics to provide
sales teams with personalized, real-time insights directly to their
preferred communication channels, such as email or text messages.
Today’s technological processes, including advanced analytics engines
and AI-driven models, operate behind the scenes, analyzing diverse data
sources such as historical data, prescription trends, engagement
history, upcoming product launches, expiring patents, and recent medical
publications. These processes generate a comprehensive view of the sales
landscape, identifying which HCPs are most urgent for a given sales
representative to engage with at any given time. The solution presented
in this article aims to showcase an innovative approach by seamlessly
integrating these insights into Tableau subscriptions through Tableau
Rest API systems. By doing so, sales representatives can receive timely
and actionable insights directly through their preferred communication
channels. This proactive approach empowers sales teams to stay ahead of
the competition by eliminating the need to navigate complex dashboards
to decipher data, allowing them to focus their time and efforts on
engaging with the right HCPs at the right time.
Tableau
Tableau stands out in the realm of reporting and analytics due to its
user-friendly interface and its ability to generate high-quality
visualizations efficiently, making it a top choice for individuals and
organizations alike [3]. This robust tool streamlines the process of
data analysis and interpretation, allowing users to swiftly identify
insights and discern key trends [1]. Developed by Tableau Software,
the platform provides an intuitive and interactive environment for
visually exploring, analyzing, and presenting data [2].
In our exploration of Tableau technologies, we focus on three key
components: Tableau Server, Tableau Subscriptions, and Tableau REST API.
Each of these components plays a crucial role in harnessing the full
potential of Tableau for real-time insights delivery and integration
with external applications.
Tableau Server serves as the foundation for collaboration and sharing
within organizations. It enables users to publish Tableau workbooks and
data sources to a centralized server, ensuring accessibility and
security for all authorized users.
Tableau Subscriptions feature empowers users to stay updated on critical
insights by automatically delivering reports and dashboards via email or
other communication channels. By setting up subscriptions, users can
receive relevant information directly to their preferred devices,
ensuring timely decision-making.
Tableau REST API provides a powerful interface for integrating Tableau
with external applications and systems. Leveraging the REST API,
developers can programmatically interact with Tableau Server to perform
tasks such as extracting data, managing users and permissions, and
triggering events like subscriptions.
In the subsequent sections, we provide detailed guidance on leveraging
Tableau subscriptions and the Tableau REST API to seamlessly integrate
Tableau with an external application. We use GoAnywhere as an
illustrative example, demonstrating how to trigger a pre-set
subscription and facilitate the delivery of real-time insights to
end-users.
Methods
Set Up Tableau Server:
In order to fully utilize the capabilities of Tableau subscriptions and
Tableau REST API, the initial step involves setting up and ensuring
accessibility to the Tableau Server. Acting as the centralized host for
Tableau workbooks, data extracts, and subscriptions, the Tableau Server
plays a pivotal role in facilitating seamless integration with external
applications such as GoAnywhere.
Establishing the Tableau Server environment serves as a foundational
step in enabling the integration of Tableau subscriptions with
GoAnywhere. This process requires the installation and configuration of
the Tableau Server within your designated server environment. Follow the
detailed steps outlined below to establish the Tableau Server
environment:
System Requirements:
It is necessary to ensure that the server meets the minimum system
requirements for Tableau Server. This would include considerations for
hardware specifications, operating system compatibility, and other
prerequisites.
Visit the Tableau website by using the following link [4]
https://www.tableau.com and download the appropriate version of
Tableau Server for the operating system. Follow the installation
instructions provided by Tableau, generally, this procedure entails
executing an installer and configuring server settings to establish a
functional Tableau Server environment.
Configuration:
During the installation process, configure Tableau Server with the
necessary settings such as server name, administrator credentials, and
port configurations. These settings are crucial for accessing and
managing Tableau Server.
Activation, Licensing & Security set:
Once the configuration is complete, activate your Tableau Server license
using the provided license key or activation code. Follow the prompts to
complete the licensing process and validate your Tableau Server
deployment.
Security Setup: Implement security measures to safeguard access to
Tableau Server and its resources. Configure user permissions, groups,
and authentication methods to ensure secure access control and data
protection.
Initialize Tableau Server:
After installation, initialize Tableau Server by starting the Tableau
Server service. This will bring the server online and make it
accessible.
To access Tableau Server Web Interface: Open a web browser and navigate
to the Tableau Server web interface. This interface, typically accessed
through a URL like http://<servername>/, provides
the administrative console for managing Tableau Server. Create Tableau Server Admin Account: Log in to the Tableau Server web interface using the administrator
credentials set during the installation. Once logged in, create
additional Tableau Server user accounts as needed, ensuring appropriate
permissions for accessing workbooks and subscriptions. Publish Tableau Workbooks: Publish the Tableau workbooks containing the sales insights and
visualizations to Tableau Server. This involves connecting Tableau
Desktop to Tableau Server and selecting the appropriate project and
permissions for the published workbooks. Verify Accessibility: Ensure that the published workbooks are accessible through the Tableau
Server web interface. Test the URLs of the published workbooks to
confirm their availability and correctness. SSL Configuration (Optional): For enhanced security, consider configuring SSL for Tableau Server. This
involves obtaining SSL certificates and configuring Tableau Server to
use HTTPS. SSL is especially important when integrating with external
applications like GoAnywhere to ensure secure communication. Backup and Recovery: Implement a regular backup strategy for Tableau Server to safeguard
critical data. Establish a recovery plan to quickly restore Tableau
Server in case of unexpected issues.
By diligently following these steps to set up Tableau Server, you create
a robust foundation for the integration process. This foundation is
crucial for hosting and managing Tableau workbooks, enabling seamless
interaction with the Tableau REST API, and facilitating the integration
with external applications such as GoAnywhere for triggering pre-set
subscriptions.
Obtain Tableau REST API Credentials:
Generate Tableau Server REST API credentials by creating a Tableau
Server account with the necessary permissions. These credentials will be
used to authenticate and authorize API requests.
Goto My Account Settings