Ways to consume data

This article focuses on data consumption tools—the final step in your data discovery journey. Once you’ve found the right asset, it’s time to put the data to work. The available options vary depending on the asset type.

Explore data

Sometimes you just want to check whether a dataset contains the information you need. You can quickly scan the default Table view or dive deeper with the Schema view to see how the dataset is structured and which fields are available. This helps you assess completeness and reliability before using it.

Exploration doesn’t stop at “reading.” You can interact with the dataset using filters in the left panel or build more precise queries in the Explore by query tab. These tools narrow your search to exactly the entries you care about. You can even use AI insights to ask questions in natural language, making discovery faster and more intuitive.

Export data

Need to take the data out of the portal? You can download it in multiple formats, such as CSV.

Use API console

If you want to connect data to external apps—say, to build a map of hospitals in your own application—you can generate a request URL directly in the API console. This gives you a live data feed that keeps your app up to date automatically.

See custom views

Not all data makes sense in a table. Publishers often create custom visualizations (charts, graphs, or maps) that give you instant insights at a glance. Custom views highlight key patterns and make complex datasets easier to understand.

Build your own visualizations

The actions mentioned above appear as CTA buttons in the top-right corner of the asset page. In addition to these, you can use datasets to build your own visualizations and reuse them for information or in external apps. These tools sit in the header.

For data publishers: note that these consumption tools do not make part of the consumption funnel, since they can be related to multiple assets at a time.

The simplest way to consume a visualization is to view it directly in the portal via “Show page” button. Dashboards, charts, and maps created by publishers give you an immediate, visual take on the data without needing to manipulate the raw dataset. You can also export these visualizations as PNG or PDF files. This is useful when you want to include them in a report, a presentation, or simply share them outside the portal.

Some assets come from external platforms. In this case, the portal redirects you to the original source, for example a Power BI dashboard. Snowflake assets are an exception to this, since you can still explore their data directly via the Explore data button, just like a regular dataset.

If you are a data publisher, you have several levers to encourage your asset consumption.

Start by defining a conversion objective. What outcome do you want? More views over the next quarter? Higher API usage in external tools? Consistent downloads from your internal teams? A precise goal helps you shape how you present and manage the asset.

Next, tune your asset settings to match that objective. Choose the CTA button that reflects your conversion target (see above). Complete the metadata so the asset is easy to find. Adjust visibility. Enable access requests when relevant. The platform is designed to make this setup quick and intuitive, helping you maximize the consumption of your assets.

Then, follow the asset analytics to monitor progress toward your conversion target. It shows how people discover, view, and use the asset, so you know what to improve and when.