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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about using the Qarion platform.

Getting Started​

How do I access a space?​

You need to be invited to a space by a space admin. Once invited, the space appears in your space selector. If you need access to a specific space, contact its administrator.

What's the difference between spaces?​

Each space is an isolated workspace with its own data catalog, quality checks, and governance processes. You may have access to multiple spaces representing different teams or domains.

How do I switch between spaces?​

Use the space selector in the top navigation bar, or navigate directly via the URL pattern /spaces/{space-slug}/.

Data Catalog​

How do I find a specific data product?​

You can find data products using several methods. The fastest way is Global Search; simply press ⌘ K and type the product name. Alternatively, you can browse the Data Catalog using the search bar, or use tags and filters to narrow down the list to what you need.

Who can create data products?​

Users with Editor or Admin roles in a space can register new data products. The exact permissions depend on your space's specific configuration.

What should I include in a product description?​

Good descriptions are comprehensive. They should include what the data represents, who produces and consumes it, expectations for update frequency and freshness, and any known limitations or caveats.

Data Quality​

What happens when a quality check fails?​

When a check fails, the system automatically generates an alert in the Alerts Center and sends notifications to subscribed users. The product's quality score is updated to reflect the failure, and you can create an issue directly from the alert to track remediation.

How do I investigate a quality failure?​

Start by opening the alert in the Alerts Center. View the execution details and error message to understand the failure. Then, check the product's Quality tab to identify trends. If further investigation is needed, create an issue to track your findings.

Can I pause a quality check?​

Yes, quality checks can be disabled from the product's Quality tab. This is useful during maintenance periods or when there are known data gaps.

Access & Permissions​

How do I request access to a product?​

To request access, navigate to the product's detail page and go to the Access tab. Click Request Access, provide a clear business justification, and submit the request for approval.

Who approves access requests?​

Access requests are typically approved by the product's Steward or Owner. For source system roles, the source system administrator is responsible for approval.

How long does approval take?​

Approval time depends on your organization's policies. Simple requests are often approved the same day, while access to sensitive data may require additional review time.

Governance​

What are governance roles?​

Three key roles manage governance: the Owner provides strategic oversight and approves major changes; the Steward handles day-to-day curation and access approvals; and the Custodian is responsible for technical maintenance, schema management, and quality check configuration. Additionally, the Data Architect designs data models and defines architectural standards to ensure structural consistency across products.

How do I become a steward for a product?​

If you are the appropriate person for this role, contact the current Owner or Steward of the product, or speak with your space admin about updating governance assignments.

What's the difference between a meeting and an issue?​

Meetings are scheduled governance discussions that have agendas, notes, and action items. Issues are used to track specific problems or tasks and are managed on a Kanban board.

Technical​

What source systems does Qarion support?​

Qarion connects to a wide range of platforms including data warehouses like Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks, and Redshift; databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQL Server; cloud storage services like S3, Azure Blob, and GCS; and tools like dbt, Fivetran, and Airflow.

How often is metadata synced?​

Sync frequency depends on your specific configuration. Syncs can be scheduled to run automatically or triggered manually from the source system settings.

Is my data stored in Qarion?​

No, Qarion only stores metadata about your data, such as descriptions, schemas, and lineage. Your actual data remains securely in your source systems.

AI Features​

What is the AI Copilot?​

The AI Copilot is Qarion's built-in assistant that helps you find data through natural-language questions. Instead of writing SQL or memorizing filter syntax, you can ask questions like "Where is the customer sales data?" and get source-attributed answers with links to the relevant data products. The Copilot can also auto-generate documentation for your data products based on their schema metadata.

How do I register an AI system?​

Create a new data product and select AI System as the product type. This enables AI-specific features like risk classification and continuous drift monitoring. Document the model's purpose, training data sources, and intended use cases in the product description, then assign governance roles as you would for any data product.

What is risk classification?​

Risk classification is a label you assign to AI System products to indicate their risk level under the EU AI Act framework. Levels range from unacceptable (prohibited) to minimal (no special requirements). Qarion tracks changes to risk classifications in the product's audit history, supporting regulatory compliance documentation.

How does Qarion help with EU AI Act compliance?​

Qarion provides several capabilities that map to EU AI Act requirements: AI system documentation through the data catalog, data lineage for traceability of training data, quality checks for data governance requirements, change request workflows for documenting system modifications, risk classification for the risk-based framework, and governance meetings for human oversight. See the EU AI Act compliance page for details.

Troubleshooting​

I can't see a product I know exists​

First, check that you are in the correct space and have the necessary access permissions. Also, verify if the product is archived, as archived products are hidden by default.

My quality check is failing unexpectedly​

Common causes include changes in the source data format, expired connection credentials, or thresholds that need adjustment to match current data realities.

Search isn't returning expected results​

Try using different keywords or checking your spelling. Ensure you are searching in the correct space. Also, note that recently changed items may take a few minutes to appear in the search index.