Alation Inc. announced the release of
Alation Anywhere for
Google Chrome to streamline contextual data discovery and empower users to
act on data intelligence within Chrome. The extension allows users to
seamlessly search, preview, and retrieve critical metadata from Alation without
leaving the browser, delivering trusted, governed data at the point of need for
real-time, enterprise-wide decision-making and accelerated time to value. The
extension is the latest addition to Alation Anywhere, which integrates data
intelligence into Slack, Microsoft Teams, Excel, and Google Sheets.
The
constant switching between disparate applications and tools wastes time and
valuable resources, complicating access to trusted data for confident
decisions. According to Harvard
Business Review, this frequent toggling-nearly 1,200 times per day on
average-can cost workers almost five workweeks per year or close to four hours
each week by reorienting themselves. Without a single source of truth, data
users often have to leave their applications running on Chrome to locate
relevant data scattered across systems. These inefficiencies slow
decision-making, introduce errors, and delay time to value for data and AI
initiatives.
Alation
Anywhere addresses these challenges by seamlessly integrating data intelligence
into the daily tools that knowledge workers rely on, including Chrome. The new
extension surfaces critical data intelligence-such as business term
definitions, metadata previews, and database details-directly in the browser,
eliminating the need to switch away from Chrome. By delivering trusted,
contextual, and up-to-date data exactly when and where it's needed, enterprise
users can collaborate more effectively, analyze data more efficiently, and make
informed decisions. For example, knowledge workers often rely on applications
like Snowflake's Snowsight, Power BI, and Looker. With the new extension, users
gain a side-by-side view of data assets and corresponding metadata from
Alation, accelerating time to insight and fostering a more collaborative data
culture across the enterprise.
"We're
excited to see how Alation Anywhere for Google Chrome can accelerate our data
utilization," Kazuaki Ideguchi, Manager, Data Platform Department, NTT DOCOMO. "Now, our
data analysts will be able to check data definitions directly on the same
screen while writing SQL queries in Snowsight, streamlining their workflow. We
look forward to Alation continuing to deliver these valuable features that
enhance productivity."
"Organizations
today are overwhelmed by the influx of data from countless sources, creating
unprecedented complexity in managing their data environments," said Diby Malakar, VP of Product
Management at Alation. "The Alation Anywhere for Google Chrome extension
directly addresses this challenge by delivering trusted, governed data straight
into the user's browser. It empowers teams to instantly find, understand, and
act on data-without disrupting their workflow. This isn't just a productivity
tool; it's a critical asset that accelerates decision-making, reduces errors,
and drives meaningful business outcomes in today's decentralized, data-driven
world."
Key
benefits of the Alation Anywhere for Google Chrome extension include:
- Streamlined Data Discovery: With Intelligent Search,
teams can instantly discover trusted data and BI assets using natural
language search. This democratizes access to data across the organization,
allowing users to locate relevant data assets quickly without specialized
knowledge. The extension boosts productivity by delivering the right data
at the point of need, enabling faster, more informed decision-making.
- Automated Metadata Preview: The extension enhances productivity by providing
automated, side-by-side previews of data assets in Snowflake's Snowsight,
Power BI, and Looker dashboards alongside Alation's rich metadata. For
example, data teams can access valuable context-such as data quality flags
and descriptions about a data asset-directly within Snowsight, Power BI,
and Looker. This comprehensive view lets users explore contextual
metadata, like schemas, tables, and BI objects, all without leaving
Chrome. The extension supports better decision-making by streamlining
workflows, improving data accuracy, reducing errors, and ensuring teams
rely on trusted, governed data.
- Seamless Access to Glossary Definitions: Users can quickly search for and understand
standardized organizational terms directly within Chrome. For instance, an
analyst working on a report or PowerPoint can easily find clarity on
organizational terms with just a couple of clicks through the Alation
glossary. With glossary definitions readily available, teams can maintain
consistency across reports, presentations, and daily tasks without
disrupting their workflow.