---
schema_version: "1"
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title: Activate and Register Tableau Server
collection: tableau
version: current
locale: en-gb
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/tableau/current/en-gb/server-linux/activate.md
canonical_url: https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/activate.htm
source_site: help.tableau.com
content_type: documentation
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description: Activate and register Tableau Server with a product key to enable it and assign user license levels.
---
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# Activate and Register Tableau Server

Before you can use Tableau Server, you must activate and register it.

Tableau Server requires at least one product key that both activates the server and specifies the number of licence levels you can assign to users. You can access your product keys from the [Customer Portal](https://customer.tableau.com/).

If you need to activate Tableau Server on a computer that is offline, see [Activate Tableau Server Offline](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/activate_off.htm). If you need to activate additional product keys to add capacity to an existing Tableau Server installation, see [Add Capacity to Tableau Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/capacity_add.htm).

## Prerequisite

Before proceeding with the procedures in this topic, complete the following prerequisites as outlined in [Install and Configure Tableau Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/install_config_top.htm):

- [Install and Initialise TSM](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/setup.htm)
- TSM uses port 8850. If you are running a local firewall, open port 8850. See [Configure Local Firewall](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/config_firewall_linux.htm).

1. [Sign in to Tableau Services Manager Web UI](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/sign_in_tsm.htm).
    
    The account you use must have administrative privileges on the computer where TSM is installed.
2. On the **Activate** page, Enter or paste your product key and click **Activate Product Key**.
    
    **Note:** In versions prior to 2023.3.0 an option to activate a trial licence displays. This option was retired (removed) starting version 2023.3.0. To learn about options for trying Tableau Server, contact your account representative.
    
    After your product key is activated, it appears under **Activated Product Keys**.
    
    ![A Tableau Server activation screen, featuring a field for the 20-character licence product key entry.](/tableau/current/en-gb/server-linux/en-gb/Img/install_01_activate.png)
3. To activate another product key, type over the key you just entered to add the new product key, and then click Activate Product Key. After your product key is activated, it appears under Activated Product Keys. Continue adding product keys in this manner until you're done.
4. When you’re finished activating product keys, click Next.
    
    **Note:** If the product keys you have activated don’t have the necessary capacity, such as not enough cores or only a Viewer role product key, Tableau Services Manager displays the Insufficient licences applied dialog box. Click Activate Another Product Key to add another product key and increase capacity on your Tableau Server installation.
    
    ![A notification that the activation of product keys for Tableau Server deployment is insufficient.](/tableau/current/en-gb/server-linux/en-gb/Img/install_01_insufficient_product_keys.png)
5. On the Register page, enter your information into the fields and click Register.
    
    ![Registration step of Tableau Server activation wizard, with required fields for populating contact information, company information and regional details.](/tableau/current/en-gb/server-linux/en-gb/Img/install_02_register.png)

### Activate Tableau Server

To activate Tableau Server for production use, you must have a product key.

To activate a product key, run the following command:

```
tsm licenses activate -k <product key>
```

To activate a two-week trial, run the following command:

```
tsm licenses activate -t
```

If you are unable to activate Tableau, for example, if you get an error like this:

License Server not available

see [Activate Tableau Server Offline](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/activate_off.htm).

**What if I get an access denied error when I attempt to run TSM commands?**

The account that you use to configure the rest of the installation must be a member of the `tsmadmin` group that was created during initialisation. To view the user accounts in the `tsmadmin` group, run the following command:

`grep tsmadmin /etc/group`

If the user account is not in the group, run the following command to add the user to the `tsmadmin` group:

`sudo usermod -G tsmadmin -a <username>`

### Register Tableau Server

After activation, you need to register Tableau Server. To do this, create a registration file and then pass it as an option with the `tsm register` command.

1. Generate a template that you can edit by running the following command:
    
    `tsm register --template > /path/to/<registration_file>.json`
2. Edit the template file to create your completed registration file.
    
    Here is an example of a registration file in the required format:
    
    ```
    {
        "first_name" : "Andrew",
        "last_name" : "Smith",
        "phone" : "311-555-2368",
        "email" : "andrew.smith@mycompany.com",
        "company" : "My Company",
        "industry" : "Finance",
        "company_employees" : "500",			
        "department" : "Engineering",
        "title" : "Senior Manager",
        "city" : "Kirkland",
        "state" : "WA",
        "zip" : "98034",
        "country" : "United States",
        "opt_in" : "false",
        "eula" : "accept"
    }
    ```
    
    **Notes:**
    
    - The `opt_in` field indicates your preference for receiving marketing communications from Tableau. The default value is `false` for many countries. Country-specific laws can impact the default for this field. For more information, see [Privacy Information](https://www.salesforce.com/ap/company/privacy/) on the Salesforce website.
    - The `eula` field confirms you accept the End User Licence Agreement (EULA). The default value is `accept`. You must accept the EULA to use Tableau Server. If you don't accept, you can't run Tableau Server.
3. After saving changes to the file, pass it with the `--file` option to register Tableau Server:
    
    `tsm register --file /path/to/<registration_file>.json`
    
    For example:
    
    `tsm register --file /usr/share/tableau-reg-file.json`

If you have a product key for Data Management or Advanced Management, you must activate that key to use the additional functionality. Product keys for these licences should only be activated after at least one capacity product key has been activated on the server.

- For licence information on Tableau Data Management, see [Licence Data Management](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/dm_license.htm).
- For licence information on Tableau Advanced Management, see [About Tableau Advanced Management on Tableau Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/itm_intro.htm).

## Next step

- [Configure Initial Node Settings](https://help.tableau.com/current/server-linux/en-gb/config_general.htm)

## Other articles in this section