Salesforce is integrating Tableau’s key AI feature, Pulse, into its core customer relationship management platform. Pulse for Salesforce will use natural language and generative AI to provide AI-powered charts and insights to Salesforce CRM users, starting with Sales Cloud, with plans to expand to additional Salesforce products in the future. The goal is to make data visualization more accessible and automated for a larger audience beyond data analysts and professionals, according to Tableau CEO Ryan Aytay.
The integration will offer nine pre-built Tableau Pulse metrics, including win rate, average days to close, total sales pipeline, and conversion rate, among others. Sales reps and managers can ask questions in natural language to explore underlying trends and insights. Existing Tableau Pulse customers can connect Pulse to Salesforce without additional cost, while new Salesforce customers can purchase Pulse for $50 per user per month for a viewer account. Salesforce ensures security, data, and privacy controls using its Einstein Trust Layer secure AI architecture for Pulse.
Tableau’s competitors include products from tech giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, as well as various data visualization tools and technologies from smaller companies and startups. Tableau’s revenue grew by 16% in Salesforce’s 2024 fiscal year and was up by 21% in the first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year. Salesforce acquired Tableau for $15.7 billion in 2019 and has reduced its footprint in Seattle over the years but remains committed to the region, including the “Data1” building in Fremont that serves as a hub for Tableau and Salesforce employees.
Research firm Gartner continues to rank Tableau as a leader in its June 2024 Magic Quadrant report, highlighting the company’s improved technology and commercial flexibility. Tableau’s c-level executives operate under Salesforce’s leadership, positioning the company differently from its competitors. The Gartner report also notes that Tableau is facing increased competition from major cloud and business application vendors repackaging their products for data and analytics.
Overall, Tableau’s Pulse for Salesforce integration represents a strategic move by Salesforce to make data visualization more accessible and automated for a larger audience, leveraging Tableau’s AI technology. Salesforce’s commitment to the Seattle region and Tableau as a critical part of its business underscores the importance of the integration. Gartner’s positive evaluation of Tableau’s leadership position and the competitive landscape of data and analytics indicates potential challenges and opportunities for the company moving forward.
