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Add Workbook Item Description #1147
Description
Summary
Provide a setter for the workbook item Description Field
Request Type
Support a REST API
The API: PUT /api/api-version/sites/site-id/workbooks/workbook-id supports a description field.
the Schema definition for WorkbookType contains an element xs:attribute name="description" type="xs:string"
The Python API currently does not support this element.
It could be added by modifying:
- tableauserverclient/models/workbook_item.py -- adding a setter for description
- tableauserverclient/server/request_factory.py:
update class WorkbookRequest : _generate_xml : in the same method as other elements, add a description :
if workbook_item.description:
workbook_element.attrib['description'] = workbook_item.description
add same code to procedure update_req.
This change allows a workbook description to be added at time of upload, preventing manual intervention after report promotions, migrations, or other automated processes.
Activity
nosnilmot commentedon Jan 13, 2023
The current REST API Workbooks Methods documentation does not include a
descriptionfield in any publish or update methods, only in responsesjacalata commentedon Feb 15, 2023
That's correct: the description field is not settable through the API currently. I don't think there's a real reason for that, so I'll prod the team that owns that area.
[-]Support a REST API: Add Workbook Item Description[/-][+]Add Workbook Item Description[/+]geerties99 commentedon Jun 13, 2024
Has the setter for description been added already?
Could need it for a current project.
AverageJoeGuy-tech commentedon Jun 27, 2024
Has the status of this changed? The REST API currently allows workbook description to be set/changed in PUT.
github-actions commentedon Aug 6, 2026
This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed in 14 days if no further activity occurs. If this is still relevant, please comment to keep it open.
jacalata commentedon Aug 6, 2026
Closing — this was implemented across a few PRs:
descriptionas a read-only attribute onWorkbookItem0ddae7c(feat: add description support on wb publish) added support for setting the description on publishSet it on the WorkbookItem before publish or before calling update.