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How it works

From raw data to figures you can rely on: the path every number takes.

In short

Northstar turns data from your tools into figures you can rely on. Data is collected from your sources, becomes governed datasets (bronze, then silver, then gold), and feeds your KPIs, dashboards, Chat and Smart Cockpit. At every step, quality is measured, lineage is traced, and access follows your teams.

The big picture

Collect

Storage systemsSources and ingestionDocument collections

Datasets

BronzeRaw, as loadedSilverCleaned and joinedGoldReady for the business

Use

KPIsDashboards and figuresChatSmart Cockpit
Quality and lineage. Every dataset is scored, validated and tracedGovernance. Roles, teams and resources apply at every step

Read the diagram from left to right: data is collected, prepared into datasets, then used. Click a box to open its article. The two bands underneath apply everywhere: every dataset is scored and traced, and every step respects roles and teams.

Datasets at the center

Every number in Northstar comes from a dataset: a KPI is computed from one, a dashboard tile queries one, Chat answers from them. That is why governance sits on datasets, not on each report. A dataset carries its documentation, owner, quality rules, quality score, lineage and access rights.

So when you look at a number, you can always follow it back:

KPI → dataset → quality score → lineage → source

See datasets.

Three stages

Collect

Prepare

Use

  • KPIs: governed indicators, computed every day.
  • Dashboards and figures: built in Northstar or embedded from your BI tools.
  • Chat: questions in plain language, answered from gold datasets first.
  • Smart Cockpit: your daily briefing.

Governance at every step

  • Your organization role decides which features you use; your team roles decide which datasets, KPIs, figures, dashboards and collections you use. See who can do what.
  • Resources are shared with teams, right by right. See teams and resources.
  • AI assistants work within your rights and propose; you decide. See AI assistants.
  • Updates run in a known order, from ingestion to alerts. See what updates on its own.

Where to start

The help center home suggests a reading path for each profile. In short:

  • You follow the numbers: open the Smart Cockpit, open a KPI to see its dataset and quality score, then ask Chat a question.
  • You prepare the data: register a storage system, add a source with the ingestion agent, build silver and gold datasets, then add validation rules.
  • You run the platform: set the organization roles, create teams, share resources with them, and choose the AI features.
  • You integrate Northstar: create an integration account and an API key, then automate with the Python SDK.

FAQ

Is Northstar a BI tool? It sits underneath: it governs, validates and monitors the data before it reaches a dashboard. You can build dashboards in Northstar or embed those of your BI tools.

Where does my data live? In your warehouses. Northstar queries datasets where they are.

How do I know if I can trust a number? Open the KPI or the dashboard tile, then its dataset: its quality score, its validation rules and its lineage are there.

See also