Alation Extends Data Intelligence to Google Chrome to Empower Faster Self-Service Analytics Across the Enterprise

Redwood City, Calif. – October 30, 2024 – Alation Inc., the data intelligence company, today 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, Looker, and Power BI. 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 at 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.

• Metadata Preview: The extension enhances productivity by providing automated, side-by-side previews of data assets in Snowflake’s Snowsight, Looker, and Power BI 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, Looker, and Power BI. 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.

To learn more, read the blog “Alation Anywhere for Chrome: Data Intelligence, Where You Are.”

The Alation Anywhere for Google Chrome extension is available through the internal add-on page within Alation and searchable through the Chrome Marketplace.