Change Access to a Query

Alation Cloud Service Applies to Alation Cloud Service instances of Alation

Customer Managed Applies to customer-managed instances of Alation

Applies from 2023.1

With granular query permissions, you can control the default access level for your queries, and you can grant permissions that are different from the default to individual users and groups. You must have edit or owner access or be a Server Admin to change access to a query. Owners and Server Admins can transfer ownership of the query to another user.

For details on the access levels and the effects of changing them, see Understand Query Access.

Open the Sharing & Access Dialog

You can change access permissions for a query using the Sharing & Access dialog. To open the Sharing & Access dialog, do one of the following:

  • Open the query in Compose and click the Sharing & Access button.

  • Open the query’s catalog page or the query form page, click the More button in the top right corner, then click Sharing & Access.

  • As a Server Admin, click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of Alation, then select Scheduled Query Dashboard. Search the dashboard for the relevant query, click the three dots (…) on the right of the dashboard, and select Change Permission.

The Sharing & Access dialog opens. You can now start changing permissions for the query. You can:

Change the Default Access Level

At the top of the Sharing & Access dialog, you can see the default access next to Everyone has. Individuals and groups who have permissions that are different from the default are listed immediately below.

By default, everyone will have view and run access to newly created queries and queries created before the introduction of granular query permissions. The person who created the query has ownership by default.

To change the default access for everyone, click the menu next to Everyone has and choose the desired access level. To make your query private, choose No Access.

Note

It’s not possible to grant everyone edit access to a query. Edit access can only be granted to individuals or groups.

Grant Access to Individuals and Groups

On the bottom part of the Sharing & Access dialog, you can grant individual users and groups permissions that are different from the default.

  1. Click the + Add button.

  2. Scroll or enter part of a name to find the person or group you want to add.

  3. Click on the person or group. You can click on more than one. Their name gets added to the list in the dialog.

  4. Click the menu next to Grant and choose the desired access level.

  5. If you want to notify the affected users about their new access, select the checkbox by Send notification to user and enter a message. When you save the changes, Alation will automatically send them an email with your message and a link to the query.

    Note

    You can also click Copy Link in the bottom left corner of the dialog. This just copies the URL of the query catalog page to the clipboard. You can share the link however you want. Sharing the link does not change permissions. When users visit the link, their current access level, as specified in the Sharing & Access dialog, will be enforced.

  6. Click Save.

The selected individuals and groups will immediately have the selected access level. Next time you open the Sharing & Access dialog, they will be listed at the top of the dialog.

Change Existing Access Levels

Near the top of the Sharing & Access dialog, people and groups who have access that’s different from the default are listed under In addition, the selected people & groups have. You can change or remove their access at any time.

  • To change their access, click the menu next to their name and select a new access level.

  • To remove their current access level and restore it back to the default access level, click the X on the far right.

  • Click Save when you’re done.

To transfer ownership of the query, see the section below.

Transfer Ownership

Every query must have a single owner. A query must be owned by one individual user, not a group. Ownership is initially granted to the person who creates a query. Owners and Server Admins can transfer ownership of the query to someone else. Once an owner transfers ownership, they’ll no longer be able to manage ownership or edit the query’s schedule.

To change the owner of the query:

  1. In the Sharing & Access dialog, under Who Has Access, find the user who’s listed as the current owner. Click the X on the far right, next to the Owner label.

    A message will appear to warn you that no owners are assigned. You won’t be able to save until you choose a new owner.

  2. Under Grant Query Access, click + Add. Search for the name of the person you want to be the owner and select them.

  3. Click the menu next to Grant and choose Owner. A message appears to indicate that you are transferring ownership of the query.

  4. If you want to notify the new owner automatically, select the checkbox by Send notification to user and enter a message. When you save the changes, Alation will send them an email with your message and a link to the query.

  5. Click Save.

Request Edit Access to a Query

If you have view or run access and would like edit access, you can request it:

  1. Open the query in Compose.

  2. Click REQUEST ACCESS near the top of the query. An email notification will automatically be sent to all users who have edit or owner access to the query.