New User Experience

Alation Cloud Service Applies to Alation Cloud Service instances of Alation

Updated 5/21/2024

What’s New

We have now moved into General Availability of the New User Experience! You will see detailed documentation throughout the page below, but the following list captures a summary of the major features and pages added since the Public Preview IV release. All experiences are only available to customers on the cloud-native architecture unless otherwise noted.

  • Lineage—compound layout graph/business lineage and manual lineage

  • Policy object pages

  • Query page, including Run Query functionality

  • User page

  • BI pages—layout templates (available for customer-managed instances) and “chip” updates

  • Datasource-targeted table object templates (available for customer-managed instances)

  • My Inbox

  • Data Culture Maturity Assessment (DCMA) added to Alation Add-ons

  • Search—more filters and guided filtering

  • User Groups page

  • Data Health

  • NoSQL pages

See documentation for these features and pages added to the existing documentation below.

Overview

The Alation New User Experience is now in General Availability. To enable the New User Experience, refer to Configuring Your Users’ Experience below. For the time being, you will have the choice of whether or not to enable this functionality.

The following experiences will be visible once you turn on the New User Experience:

  • Data source catalog details page

  • Schema catalog details page

  • Table catalog details page

  • Column catalog details page

  • Catalog navigation

  • Search—table view, list view, saved search, export results, more filters, and guided filtering

  • Data source hub

  • Domains hub and details pages

  • Homepage basic features + Admin Guided User Interface (GUI)

  • BI hub and all detail pages—layout templates (available for customer-managed instances) and “chip” updates

  • Enable Server Admins to make the new user experience the default if desired

  • Conversations

  • Tags object page

  • Backreference group moveability in templates (available for customer-managed instances)

  • Lineage (simple layout graph, compound lineage, manual lineage)

  • Dataflow object page

  • Document Hubs (available for customer-managed instances)

  • Policy object pages

  • Query page, including Run Query functionality

  • User page

  • Datasource-targeted table object templates (available for customer-managed instances)

  • My Inbox

  • Data Culture Maturity Assessment (DCMA) added to Alation Add-ons

  • Data Health

  • NoSQL pages

What Should You Expect and When Should You Expect It

We are currently in the General Availability phases of the New User Experience and will be releasing our 1.1 release August 1, 2024.

New User Experience 1.1

The 1.1 cloud-native-architecture release is still in the finalization phase; therefore, scope is still tentative, but scope is expected to include all of the features outlined above, plus the following:

  • Governance App landing page

  • Workflows configuration

  • Catalog Sets

  • Catalog Activity

  • Curation Progress

  • Bulk Actions

  • Settings landing page (not actual settings pages)

  • Column profiling

Subsequent Releases

The initial release will be followed by subsequent releases every two months in which we expect to add the following features. As we solidify what will be released when, we will update this documentation.

  • Help Center contextual in-app experience

  • File system pages

  • Functions

  • API object page

  • Enable changing of primary and secondary app frame colors

  • Alation Analytics UI

  • Upload data

Classic Experience Pages that Fall Outside of Current Scope

Some features we will convert to the New User Experience over time depending on customer demand. We consider these features outside of current scope and they will retain entry points in the New Experience but they will open in a tab that features the original Classic Experience. The following are outside of current scope:

  • All settings functionality (includes Admin and Source settings)

  • Compose

  • Login page

  • Upload Data experience in the more actions menu of RDBMS objects

Release Plan Summary

The following table summarizes the New User Experience enablement details.

Note

Configuration details for 1.1 to 1.3 are tentative and subject to change.

Release Stage

Admin Enabled (not system default)

Admin Can Disable

Admin Can Enable as Default

1.0 (May 21)

1.1 (Aug 1)

1.2 (Oct 1)

TBD*

TBD*

1.3 (Dec 1)

TBD*

TBD*

* Dependent on completion of Document Hub hierarchy and migration features.

Definitions

New features/functionality: Features and functionality that have been added as part of the New User Experience

Not yet complete features/functionality: Features and functionality we plan to build a direct path to within the New User Experience but have not yet

Removed features/functionality: Features and functionality that we have learned are not particularly valuable in their current state:

  • Utilize Classic app where these features are needed

  • Please provide feedback if we have omitted functionality that supports a critical customer use case

Configuring Your Users’ Experience

You no longer need to have beta language within your contract to access the New User Experience!

Alation Cloud Service customers who are on the cloud-native architecture will see three new Feature Configuration options in the Admin settings:

Flag 1: Enable New UI - URL change access

Defaults to ON, meaning any user that adjusts the Alation URL to add /app after .com will be able to experience the New User Experience. You can easily switch this flag to OFF if you do not want your users to access this experience.

Note

To disable the New User Experience completely, you must disable all three flags.

Flag 2: Enable New UI - UI Promotion access

Defaults to OFF. If you would like your users to see the new UI and a promotional message to help them more easily access the New User Experience, change this flag to ON. No other flags are needed to enable this experience.

The “promotion” message will look like the screenshot below and be situated near the top right corner of the screen. Promotion will show up on any catalog page that is currently visible in the new user experience.

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicSwitchToNewExperience.png

Users will always be able to revert back to the Alation Classic experience at any time via the Switch to Classic Experience link shown below, situated near the top right corner of the New Experience.

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoSwitchToClassicExperience.png

Flag 3: Enable New UI - Default and UI Promotion access

Defaults to OFF. If you would like your users to land in the New User Experience when they arrive in Alation, change this flag to ON. Note, even if you turn this flag on, your users will still see the Switch to Classic Experience link at all times. When users switch to Classic, they will automatically be switched back to the New User Experience after five days. No other flags are needed to enable this experience.

Summary of Common Features and Functionality

This table contains an aggregated view of features and functionality that were added, are coming soon or have been removed across two or more objects. This table is followed by sections showing comparison screenshots of the Classic page versus the New User Experience page for each in-scope page and functionality, calling out new features, not yet complete features, and removed functionality that are specific only to one page or functionality.

Common Features and Functionality

New features/functionality

Data Source Hub

Data Source

Schema

Table

Column

Domain Hub

Domain

Query

BI Hub

BI Servers

BI Folders

BI Data Sources

BI Reports

BI Report Columns

BI Data Source Columns

Dataflow

Policy Hub

Policy Group

Policy

New look and feel with clearer visual boundaries for scanning

Adjustable table column width

N/A

N/A

Number of rows selected for table will become the user’s default state across all other objects of they same type

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

If user paginates to page 3 of table results, clicks on an object and then clicks Back they will be returned to page 3 of table results

N/A

Coming soon

N/A

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

If user clicks on an object in the table and then clicks Back the table will retain all sorting and filtering previously imputed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Star and Watch converted to Bookmark with or without email notifications enabled

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Open With expanded beyond Compose to include any Open with options available

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Main panel and right panel independent scroll

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Collapsible right panel

N/A

N/A

N/A

Clear labels aligned to object icon

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Warning Trust Flag renamed to Important Info

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

New rich text editing capabilities (text coloring, highlighting, paragraph and table formatting) *

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ability to hide Field History if desired

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Catalog Customization enhancements

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ability to group both default fields and custom fields together

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ability to collapse or expand field groups by default

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ability to move rich text default and custom fields to the right panel *

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ability to remove default fields *

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

More scannable Query tab

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Conversations

N/A

N/A

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Lineage

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Group backreferences and allow group to be collapsed or expanded and moved around on templates

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Data Dictionary support

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Snowflake tags visibility in the New UX

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

NoSQL Support

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

@-mentions [+] functionality that expands mentioned object in rich text fields

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

N/A

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Coming soon

Star functionality in table

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Trust Flag aggregation in table

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Queries tab History sub-tab

N/A

Removed

Removed

Removed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Ask to Title

N/A

Removed

Removed

Removed

Removed

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

* Available for both cloud and customer managed instances. See Configuring Your Users’ Experience.

Search Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicSearchPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoSearchPage.png

Data Source Hub Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicDSHubPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDSHubPage.png

New features/functionality specific to Data Source Hub:

  • Data Source, BI Server, and File System setup will be triggered from their own specific hub pages (not nested in 1 page as they are today). This will improve clarity and simplicity of the experience.

  • Manage Settings will take the user back to the Classic experience as settings are not part of the New User Experience scope.

  • Hub pages will be accessible by clicking on the specific hub name in the left-side navigation (not the upper right corner App menu, as that does not exist in the New User Experience).

    ../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDSHubNav.png

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Data Source Hub:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to Data Source Hub:

  • None

Data Source Catalog Details Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicDSPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDSPage.png

New features/functionality specific to Data Source:

  • None

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Data Source:

  • Not removable: Description, Stewards, Backreferences

  • Not moveable (left or right): Properties, Tags, Domains, Backreferences

Removed features/functionality specific to Data Source:

  • Upload Queries

Schema Catalog Details Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicSchemaPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoSchemaPage.png

New features/functionality specific to Schema:

  • None

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Schema:

  • Not removable: Description, Stewards, Backreferences

  • Not moveable (left or right): Properties, Tags, Domains, Backreferences, Top Users, Source Comments

Removed features/functionality specific to Schema:

  • None

Table Catalog Details Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicTablePage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoTablePage.png

New features/functionality specific to Table:

  • Table object templates that are specific to a data source (available for customer-managed instances)

    Warning

    Catalog sets are not fully compatible with table templates that are specific to a data source. Only the custom fields on the default template will show up in catalog set configuration.

  • Removed Sample Content tab and embedded on the Overview tab with Columns

  • Sample Content can be removed just like any other field from the Table page template by Admins

  • Consolidated tabs Queries, Filters, and Joins to a single tab

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Table:

  • Not removable: Description, Stewards, Backreferences

  • Not moveable (left or right): Properties, Tags, Domains, Backreferences, Top Users, Source Comments

Removed features/functionality specific to Table:

  • None

Column Catalog Details Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicColumnPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoColumnPage.png

New features/functionality specific to Column:

  • None

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Column:

  • Not removable: Description, Stewards, Backreferences

  • Not moveable (left or right): Properties, Tags, Domains, Backreferences, Top Users, Source Comments, Data Type

  • Sample feature

  • Profiling feature

Removed features/functionality specific to Column:

  • Expressions tab

Query Object Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicQueryPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoQueryPage.png

New features/functionality specific to the Query object page:

  • Copy SQL in SQL section

  • Open in Compose in SQL section

  • Ability to be notified of updates in email via Bookmark functionality

  • More data added to Properties field:

    • LAST MODIFIED

    • CLONED

    • EXECUTED

  • Consolidation of key functionality with the addition of Run History tab

  • Sharing and Access

  • Connection Settings

  • Run Query feature (formerly Run Form)

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to the Query object page:

  • Query page layout template functionality added to the Customize Catalog Admin Settings

Removed features/functionality specific to the Query object page:

  • None

BI Hub and Detail Pages

BI Hub

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicBIHubPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIHubPage.png

BI Server

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicBIServer.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIServer.png

BI Folder

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicBIFolder.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIFolder.png

BI Report

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicBIReport.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIReport.png

BI Report Column

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicBIReportColumn.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIReportColumn.png

BI Data Source

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicBIDataSources.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIDataSources.png

New features/functionality specific to BI Hub and details pages:

  • Chip next to the BI title contains the specific BI object type coming from the 3rd-party BI solution.

    • Example:

      ../../_images/Neodocs_NeoBIChip.png

  • Layout template availability for all BI objects instead of checkbox layouts

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to BI Hub and details pages:

  • Search filters and Catalog Customization names to be updated to match

    • BI Servers

    • BI Folders

    • BI Data Sources

    • BI Reports

    • BI Report Columns

    • BI Data Source Columns

  • Source Description field on BI Data Sources will be available in the 1.0 release

Removed features/functionality specific to BI Hub and details pages:

  • None

Document Hubs

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicDocument.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDocument.png

See Document Hub Basics for more information!

Policy Hub Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicPolicyHub.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoPolicyHub.png

Policy Group Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicPolicyGroup.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoPolicyGroup.png

Policy Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicPolicy.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoPolicy.png

User Profile Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_Classic_UserProfile.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_Neo_UserProfile.png

New features/functionality specific to the User Profile feature:

  • Added email contact information to the user profile

  • Arranged supplemental information about the user in the right panel to ensure reference content remains easily in view

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to the User Profile feature:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to the User Profile feature:

  • Article References tab

  • Document Hubs will be the primary documentation solution in the New User Experience and Object References will capture Document Hub references

User Group Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_Classic_UserGroup.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_Neo_UserGroup.png

New features/functionality specific to the User Group feature:

  • Arranged supplemental information about the user group in the right panel to ensure reference content remains easily in view

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to the User Group feature:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to the User Group feature:

  • Article References tab

  • Document Hubs will be the primary documentation solution in the New User Experience and Object References will capture Document Hub references

Domain Hub Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicDomainHubPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDomainHubPage.png

New Features/Functionality:

  • Search Domains

Not yet complete features/functionality:

  • None

Removed features/functionality:

  • None

Domain Details Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicDomainDetailsPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDomainDetailsPage.png

New Features/Functionality:

  • None

Not yet complete features/functionality:

  • Browse this Domain table will become part of the layout template so Admins can decide where on the Domain page this table shows up.

  • Not removable: Description, Subdomains, Domain Users, and Backreferences.

  • Not moveable (left or right): Subdomains, Domain Users, Backreferences, and Tags.

Removed features/functionality:

  • None

Homepage

Example homepage

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicHomepageExample.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoHomepageExample.png

Homepage editor

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicHomepageEditor.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoHomepageEditor.png

New Features/Functionality:

  • Increased customization options

    • Ability to optionally remove all fields including the Search banner (which leaves the Search bar still available via the app frame)

    • Ability to add Custom Link fields and Object Previews (including Article previews)

    • Ability to add a customer logo in the top left corner of app frame

      • Can add a unique logo per user group if desired (just as you can have unique homepages per user group)

    • Ability to remove the Visit page call-to-action from an embedded page

    • Ability to make any feature besides the search banner full or half width

  • Easy-to-use Guided User Interface (GUI) available for Homepage configuration (JSON is no longer the only configuration option, but it is still an available option)

    • Note: Homepages NOT configured in the New User Experience will be denoted as Legacy and you will still be able to edit and use them in the New User Experience as desired

Not yet complete features/functionality:

  • Other new features such as Collections, which would enable users to create lists of objects within Alation and pin those lists to their homepage. They can keep these lists private or share with others, helping all Alation users to jump back into their work quickly.

  • Ability to move features around on the Homepage

  • Rich text field as an optional field to be added on on the Homepage

  • Homepage Alerts functionality (parity with Classic)

  • Document Hub embedded page optional field to be added on on the Homepage

Removed features/functionality:

  • Leaderboard

  • <iframe> tags on the Homepage

Tag Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicTagPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoTagPage.png

New features/functionality specific to Tag pages:

  • Description added as a column in the Tagged Objects table

  • Added Notification option within the bookmark

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Tag pages:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to Tag pages:

  • None

Dataflow Object Page

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicDataflowPage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoDataflowPage.png

New features/functionality specific to Dataflow pages:

  • None

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Dataflow pages:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to Dataflow pages:

  • None

Lineage Feature

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicLineage.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoLineage.png

New features/functionality specific to Dataflow pages:

  • None

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to Dataflow pages:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to Dataflow pages:

  • None

Conversations

Classic:

All Conversations on a given object page

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicConversationsAll.png

Specific Conversation in the slideout

../../_images/Neodocs_ClassicConversation.png

Conversation menu

../../_images/Neodocs_ConversationMenu.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_NeoConversations.png

New features/functionality specific to the Conversations feature:

  • Simplified, easy to consume design

  • More discoverable tab on the right panel

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to the Conversations feature:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to the Conversations feature:

A few features were removed from the Conversations feature to clarify its intent to provide a means to comment on objects. Additional, distinct features should be created if there are separate customer needs.

  • Ability to create Conversations not tied to an object

    • Why? The aim of eliminating free floating conversations is clarifying the use case of Conversations. Conversations should be used to discuss a catalog object. We would like to uncover and build additional features for other use cases where warranted.

  • Add assignees

    • Why? You can alert a user to your question or comment by @-mentioning them in your conversation, so the Assignees feature adds complexity without clear value for the commentary use case.

  • Invite to conversation

    • Why? There is not clear customer value provided by this feature. Rather, this seems like a feature that would be more meaningful if rebuilt as part of Alation’s Slack or Teams add-on.

  • Full page view

    • Why? Remaining consistent with the use case of asking questions or commenting on a given object, showing the conversation without the context of the object does not provide value.

  • Archive

    • Why? Unclear use case and adds clutter.

My Inbox

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_Classic_MyInbox.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_Neo_MyInbox.png

New features/functionality specific to the My Inbox feature:

  • Show resolved

  • Show updated

  • Deleted

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to the My Inbox feature:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to the My Inbox feature:

  • + Conversation

    • Why? The aim of eliminating free floating conversations is clarifying the use case of Conversations. Conversations should be used to discuss a catalog object. We would like to uncover and build additional features for other use cases where warranted.

Data Health

Classic:

../../_images/Neodocs_Classic_DataHealth.png

New:

../../_images/Neodocs_Neo_DataHealth.png

../../_images/Neodocs_Neo_DataHealthSearch.png

New features/functionality specific to the Data Health feature:

  • Data quality flags added to full search as an optional column (screenshot above)

Not yet complete features/functionality specific to the Data Health feature:

  • None

Removed features/functionality specific to the Data Health feature:

  • None

Providing Feedback

Please use the Alation Customer Ideas Portal to submit your feedback on the visible experiences.

Select New User Experience under Applications as your category when creating a new idea:

../../_images/Neodocs_FeedbackCategory.png

The Alation team will review and consider for future enhancements.

What User-Requested Changes Have Been Integrated into the New UX or Added to the Roadmap?

Preview Customer and Alation Employee Feedback

Process: During Previews, customers provide feedback via multiple methods. All feedback was recorded and triaged regularly. The most common and impactful updates within scope of the new user experience were completed or added to the roadmap of the New User Experience.

In addition to the feedback we received during initial research, verbal feedback in meetings with customers reviewing the New User Experience, we have also integrated feedback from the Alation Customer Ideas Portal. Navigate to https://ideas.alation.com/ and log in if required. Then use the filters below to see Shipped items. Look through other ideas within this category and vote on those most important to you.

Issues Where Previous Settings and the New UX May Conflict

  • You may not see all new Rich Text Field features if you have adjusted your Rich Text Defaults in the past—if you are not seeing Rich Text Field features you expect to please update your allowed HTML styles.