Impact of Setting User Passwords When Using SSO in Tableau Server

Actions Managed Separately from SSO via browser

Users can continue to sign in via SSO even after the following administrative actions are performed in Tableau Server (because passwords managed within Tableau Server function independently of SSO via browser authentication):

• Click a specific user on the server or site User page then select Settings > Change Password.
  • For more information, see Change your password.
• Updating a user password via REST API.
  • For more information, see Users and Groups Methods > Update User
• Specifying a password in the password column during a CSV import via the User page, REST API or tabcmd.
  • For more information, see CSV Import File Guidelines, Import Users, Import Users to Site from CSV, and tabcmd Commands > createsiteusers filename.csv.
• Selecting Actions > Force Password Update for a specific user on the User page.

Note: To change the credentials used for SSO via browser, the IdP administrator must update directly on the IdP side. 

Scenarios where the Tableau-set Password is Required

The password set within Tableau Server will be required or affect behavior in the following specific cases:

• REST API or tabcmd: When performing a login operation via these interfaces. For more information, see REST API Or Tabcmd Authentication With Tableau Server Configured for SAML.
• Tableau Desktop or Mobile: If the following settings are disabled in the TSM SAML configuration:
  • Use SAML to sign in from Tableau Desktop
  • Use SAML to sign in from Tableau Mobile

For more information, see Authentication for Tableau Desktop or Mobile (Error "Invalid username or password" Signing Into Tableau Server from Tableau Desktop) and Configure Server-Wide SAML.