---
title: Integrate Metabase with Tiger Data | Tiger Data Docs
description: Connect Metabase to Tiger Cloud or self-hosted TimescaleDB to explore, query, and visualize your data.
---

[Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/) is an open-source business intelligence tool that lets you ask questions of your data and share the answers in dashboards, without writing SQL.

This page shows you how to connect Metabase to Tiger Data as a data source, so that you can explore and visualize the data in your service or database.

In this integration guide, you:

- Add your service or database to Metabase as a data source.
- Verify that Metabase can query your data.

## Prerequisites for this integration guide

To follow these steps, you'll need:

- A [Tiger Cloud service](/docs/get-started/quickstart/create-service/index.md), or a running instance of [self-hosted TimescaleDB](/docs/get-started/choose-your-path/install-timescaledb/index.md).

* Your [connection details](/docs/integrate/find-connection-details/index.md).

- A running [Metabase](https://www.metabase.com/start/) instance, either Metabase Cloud or a self-managed installation.

## Add your service or database to Metabase

Metabase connects to your service or database with standard PostgreSQL connection details. To keep the connection read-only, you can optionally create a dedicated role with `SELECT` access before you start.

1. **Open the database settings in Metabase**

   In Metabase, open the menu under your profile icon and click `Admin`. In the admin bar, click `Databases`, then click `Add database`.

2. **Enter your connection details**

   From the `Database type` list, select `PostgreSQL`. Either paste your connection string into `Connection string (optional)`, which pre-fills the fields below it, or enter your [connection details](/docs/integrate/find-connection-details/index.md) by hand:

   - `Host`: your service or database `host`.
   - `Port`: your `port`, usually `5432`.
   - `Database name`: your `dbname`.
   - `Username` and `Password`: your `user` and `password`.

   In `Display name`, give the connection a name so you can recognize it later.

3. **Configure connection options**

   Tiger Cloud requires an encrypted connection, so turn on `Use a secure connection (SSL)`. If your service or database is only reachable through a bastion host, turn on `Use an SSH-tunnel` and add the tunnel details.

   In `Schemas`, limit the sync to the schemas you query, for example `public`. TimescaleDB keeps its internal schemas, `_timescaledb_*` and `timescaledb_*`, in the same database, and Metabase syncs all of them by default.

   To change how often Metabase refreshes its view of your schema, click `Show advanced options`, turn on `Choose when syncs and scans happen`, then set `Database syncing` and `Scanning for Filter Values`.

4. **Save the connection**

   Click `Save`. Metabase connects to your service or database and starts an initial sync of your tables and columns.

   When the sync finishes, your tables appear in the Metabase data browser.

## Verify the integration

To confirm Metabase is working with your service or database:

1. **Ask a question**

   In Metabase, click `+ New` > `Question`, select your connection, then a schema, then a table to query.

2. **Visualize the results**

   Click `Visualize` to run the query.

   You see rows from your service or database rendered in the results area, confirming that Metabase can read your data.

You have successfully integrated Metabase with Tiger Data.

## Troubleshooting

- **Connection times out or is refused:** confirm the host, port, and that your network allows connections from Metabase. For Tiger Cloud, make sure SSL is enabled.
- **Tables don't appear after connecting:** in `Admin` > `Databases`, open the connection and click `Sync database schema`.

For other connectivity and authentication issues, see [Troubleshoot Tiger Cloud integrations](/docs/integrate/troubleshooting/index.md).

## Next steps

[Find your connection details](/docs/integrate/find-connection-details/index.md)

[Locate the host, port, database, user, and password for your service or database.](/docs/integrate/find-connection-details/index.md)

[Integrate Tableau with Tiger Data](/docs/integrate/bi-vizualization/tableau/index.md)

[Connect Tableau to your service or database to build dashboards.](/docs/integrate/bi-vizualization/tableau/index.md)