What is ISMEMBEROF function in Tableau?
The ISMEMBEROF() function in a Tableau is a logical function that returns a Boolean value of True or False based on whether the currently logged-in user belongs to a specified group or set of groups. This function is used to check whether the current user is a member of a specific Active Directory group. You can apply this at Filter level, Access control and visualization level.
Below is the syntax of the ISMEMBEROF() function:
ISMEMBEROF("group_name").Here, the “group_name” parameter is the name of the Active Directory group you want to check membership for.
Note: The ISMEMBEROF() function only works if you are using Active Directory authentication to sign in to Tableau Server or Tableau Online. If you are using a different authentication method, such as SAML, this function will not work.
Explained in detail with 3 different examples for using the ISMEMBEROF function in Tableau:
Example#1: Filter data based on the current user’s group
Lets take “GroupA” is the group of new users and you want to use this group to Filtering data based on the user’s group membership:
ISMEMBEROF('GroupA')This formula will return True if the current user is a member of the Active Directory group “GroupA”, and False otherwise.
You can use this formula as a filter condition to limit the data displayed in a worksheet or dashboard to data that is relevant to a specific user group.
Example#2: Customize a calculation field based on the current user’s group
Customizing a calculation based on the current user’s group membership:
IF ISMEMBEROF('GroupA') THEN [Region] ELSE [CustomerArea] ENDThis formula will apply a for users who are members of the “GroupA” group and for “GroupA” users they can see data only at [Region] level. However leave it unchanged for all other users, Other users can see data at [CustomerArea] level.
You can use this formula to create group-specific calculations that adjust the data displayed in a visualization or dashboard based on the current user’s group.
Example#3: Controlling access at a dashboard level using Tableau ISMEMBEROF
Controlling access at a dashboard level based on the current user’s group, It will perform based on TRUE and FALSE condition.
IF ISMEMBEROF('GroupA') THEN TRUE ELSE FALSE ENDThis formula will return True if the current user is a member of the “GroupA” group, and False otherwise. You can use this formula as a filter condition or visibility setting to control whether a particular dashboard or worksheet is visible to certain user groups.
Key Features of Tableau ISMEMBEROF function
- Usage: You can use the ISMEMBEROF() function to control access to data or dashboards based on the user’s group membership. For example, you can use this function to limit the data displayed in a worksheet or dashboard to data that is relevant to a specific user group.
- Flexibility: The ISMEMBEROF() function provides a lot of flexibility in terms of matching group names or patterns. You can use standard wildcard characters like “*” and “?” to match patterns, or you can use regular expressions for more complex matching scenarios.
- Security: The ISMEMBEROF() function can be used as a security measure to restrict access to sensitive data or dashboards. For example, you can use the function in combination with user filters to limit access to certain data or visualizations based on the logged-in user’s group membership.
- Customization: By combining the ISMEMBEROF() function with other Tableau functions or calculations, you can create highly customized visualizations or dashboards that respond dynamically to changes in the current user’s context. For example, you can use the function to highlight certain data points or change the colour scheme of a chart based on the current user’s group membership.