Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau

By default, Tableau uses default Maps to display the spatial data. However, you have the option to use your own Background Maps. In this article, we will show you how to use Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau with an example.

For this Tableau Mapbox Maps demo, we created two sample styles in our account. If you want, you can use the default Mapbox styles

Open the Mapbox Studio 1

For this Tableau example, we are going to use Sample – Superstore data sources that come with the desktop.

How to Use Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau

Before we start using Mapbox Maps as a Background Map, let me first create a Symbol. To do so, Drag and drop the Postal Code dimension to the Details card present in Marks Shelf

Add Postal Code to Details Shelf 3

Now you can see the auto-generated symbol map.

Autogenerated Symbol 4

Let me add City to Details card and Count (Quantity) to Size. It means the Circle size will depend upon the Number of Orders.

add City to Details card and Count (Quantity) to Size 5

To use Mapbox Maps as a Background in Tableau, Go to the Map, select Background Maps, and then select Map Services… from the drop-down Menu

Open Background and select Map Services option 6

Selecting Map Services… will open the Map Services window. Please click Add… button and choose the Mapbox Maps.. option. Please refer WMS Server as a Background to understand the WMS Servers.. option

Add Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau 8

Select the above Tableau option will open Add Mapbox Map window

  • Style Name: Please specify a valid style name.
  • URL: Specify the URL where your Mapbox map is present.
Provide Style Name 9

Please go to the Mapbox website and Go to the Style section. Next, select the style that you want to use, and select Share, develop & use from the Menu

Go to Mapbox website to share, develop, and use 10

It will navigate you to a new page.  Please copy the Code under the Use Style in the GIS Apps section. Remember, don’t forget to select Tableau to use Mapbox maps.

Copy code under Use Style in GIS Apps 11

Pasting the URL will automatically add the API Access Token, Username, and Layer ID. Click OK to close the window

Add URL, Username and password 12

Click Close button

Click the close button 13

Now you can see that our Tableau default was replaced by the Satellite map that we created in Mapbox.

How to use Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau 14

If you want to check which Background Map is used currently, Go to Maps -> Background Maps. You can see it is using NewRoadMap instead of the tableau.

How to use Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau 15

You can Zoom any particular location of the Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau.

How to use Mapbox Maps as a Background Map in Tableau 16