Manage the Marketplace

Alation Cloud Service Applies to Alation Cloud Service instances of Alation

Users with the Marketplace Admin role in the Data Products App configure and maintain Marketplace settings to ensure data products are compliant with standards and easy to discover.

This topic explains how to maintain the Marketplace, manage product listings, and assign Marketplace permissions to other users.

Note

On how to initially set up the Marketplace, including a description of the properties in its YAML definition, see Set Up Data Products Marketplace.

In this topic:

Access the Marketplace Settings

To work with the Marketplace settings:

  1. In the left-side navigation, click the Data Products App icon. Expand the navigation panel if it’s collapsed.

  2. Under the Manage group, select Manage Marketplace to open the Marketplace settings page. The page opens on the Overview tab.

  3. The Marketplace settings are organized into the following tabs:

    • Overview: Update configurations, manage data product visibility, and monitor usage statistics. Use this tab as the starting point.

    • Data Products: View and manage the data products listed in the Marketplace.

    • Insights: Review Marketplace activity and search insights.

    • Permissions: Assign Marketplace roles to control who can view, publish, maintain, or administer the Marketplace.

  4. Click View marketplace in the settings page header to review what the Marketplace looks like to users.

View Product Insights

The Data products and Consumers blocks of the Overview tab provide key statistics:

  • Data products: The status of the data products in the Marketplace. Click View all to open the Data Products tab. This card shows:

    • Listed: The total number of data products listed in the Marketplace.

    • Suspended: The number of data products that have been suspended due to standard violations.

    • Private: The number of private (restricted) data products. These products display a lock icon and are only accessible to users with explicit permissions, even after they are listed in the Marketplace.

  • Consumers: The number of users who have interacted with the Marketplace.

View Listed Data Products

To view the current inventory of data products available on the Marketplace:

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. On the Overview tab, in the Data products block, click View all. The Data Products tab opens.

    • Alternatively, click the Data Products tab under the Marketplace name to open the same interface.

  3. Select a status filter to narrow the list:

    • Listed: Data products currently published in the Marketplace.

    • Suspended: Data products that have been suspended due to standard violations.

    • Pending Approvals: Data products awaiting an approval decision.

    • Closed Requests: Data product approval requests that have been resolved.

  4. Review the products in the table. Each row displays the following columns:

    • Product: The data product name. Click the name to open the product.

    • Compliance: Whether the product meets the Marketplace standards.

    • Contact: The name of the product contact.

    • Contact Email: The email address of the product contact.

    • Visits: The number of times the product has been visited.

    • Last Updated: The date the product was last updated.

    • Chat Status: Whether Marketplace Chat is turned on or off for the product.

  5. To remove a product from the Marketplace, click Unlist in the rightmost column of the product row. For details, see Unlist a Data Product.

Edit the Marketplace

To update the Marketplace’s visibility, title, description and other properties:

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. To edit Marketplace properties in the user interface, see Customize Marketplace Appearance.

  3. To edit the Marketplace settings directly in the YAML specification, click Edit Marketplace on the top right of the page. The editor opens on the Preview tab.

    1. Click Edit YAML to switch to the editor and make your changes.

    2. Make your changes. For more information on the Marketplace YAML, see Set Up Marketplace.

    3. Click Save.

Customize Marketplace Appearance

To update the visual branding of the Marketplace:

  1. Under the Overview tab > Details > Marketplace info, click Update.

  2. On the Marketplace Info page:

    • Provide the marketplace title in the Marketplace Name field. This name appears on the Marketplace homepage.

    • Provide the name of the person responsible for maintaining the Marketplace in the Contact name field.

    • Provide the contact email address for the Marketplace in the Contact email field.

    • Click Upload new image to select an image for the banner or drag and drop an image directly onto the banner area. The upload supports PNG, JPEG/JPG, and GIF formats, with a maximum file size of 5 MB.

  3. Click Save to apply the changes or Cancel to discard them.

Enable or Disable Marketplace Chat

The Marketplace Chat feature allows users to interact with an AI chat assistant while browsing data products in the Marketplace.

Note

This feature is currently in beta.

To toggle the Marketplace Chat feature:

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. In the page header, locate the Marketplace Chat toggle.

  3. Use the toggle to enable or disable Marketplace Chat.

The change takes effect immediately. When Marketplace Chat is enabled, users see the Home tab on the Marketplace page with the chat interface. When Marketplace Chat is disabled, the Home tab doesn’t appear on the Marketplace page.

Audit Marketplace Activity

To monitor how data product consumers interact with the Marketplace:

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. Click the Insights tab under the Marketplace name on the top left.

  3. In the Summary section, review the activity metrics for the selected time period. Each card shows the current value and the change from the previous period:

    • Unique visitors: The number of distinct users who visited the Marketplace.

    • Searches: The number of searches performed in the Marketplace.

    • Listed products: The number of data products currently listed.

    • Page views: The number of Marketplace page views.

  4. To change the reporting period, select a range from the time-period dropdown on the top right (for example, Last 30 days).

  5. To export a record of Marketplace activity events to your local machine, click Export.

    1. The file includes the following data fields:

    Event Data Schema

    Field

    Description

    Event Id

    A unique numerical identifier for the specific activity.

    Marketplace

    The name or ID of the Marketplace instance where the event occurred.

    Product

    The specific data product associated with the event (if applicable).

    Event Type

    The action performed by the user (for example, click, page_visit).

    Page Type

    The specific area of the Marketplace interface where the event was triggered.

    User

    The email address of the individual who performed the action.

    URL

    The specific path or web address where the event took place.

    Payload

    A JSON-formatted string containing additional metadata, such as the target_url.

    Timestamp

    The exact date and time of the event, recorded in UTC.

    Example:

    Event Id,Marketplace,Product,Event Type,Page Type,User,URL,Payload,Timestamp
14836,marketplace-1,,click,,jane.doe@company.com,/marketplace/marketplace-1,{'target_url': '/app/manage/marketplace/marketplace-1'},2026-01-13 22:05:10.557081+00:00

    1. Open the file in a spreadsheet application of your choice to analyze usage.

  6. To analyze Marketplace search queries, review the Marketplace Searches section. It shows the search queries that users enter and the data products returned for each one, based on search event data. The section provides visibility into search activity and how often specific data products appear in search results. The table includes the following columns:

    • Search Query: The text a user entered in the Marketplace search.

    • Products returned: The data products returned for that query. Hover over the number to see the list of products, and click a product name to navigate to its details page.

    • Clicks and conversions: The number of times users clicked or converted on the returned products.

  7. To review the most active users, see the Top 10 Users section. The table includes the following columns:

    • User: The name of the user. Click the name to open the user’s profile.

    • Title: The user’s title.

    • Marketplace Visits: The number of times the user visited the Marketplace.

    • Searches: The number of searches the user performed.

    • Products visited: The data products the user visited.

    • Messages: The number of Marketplace Chat messages the user sent.

Manage Marketplace Standards

Marketplace Standards are mandatory criteria that a data product must satisfy to be listed. Standards ensure the quality of the product listing by prescribing specific content requirements, such as contact information, descriptions, or the inclusion of record sets.

We recommend establishing standards before creating data products, as new standards trigger revalidation or suspension of existing listings.

Create a New Marketplace Standard

To create a new Marketplace standard:

  1. Under the Overview tab > Listing Requirements > Standards, click Manage.

  2. When configuring Marketplace standards for the first time, the Standards page displays three recommended templates. Each template is pre-configured with basic quality rules for the three primary data product fields: Description, Record Sets, and Contact Information. To add a recommended standard:

    1. Click +Add for a standard.

    2. Review the pre-filled properties and adjust the validation logic or failure behavior as needed.

    3. Save the changes.

    Note

    If you delete a standard added from a recommendation, it is removed from the Marketplace but reappears as the same recommendation with the +Add button.

  3. If the recommended templates do not meet your specific requirements, you can create a standard from scratch. Click Create new standard on the top right.

    1. Complete the following fields:

      • Standard Name (Required): Enter a descriptive name (for example, “Contact Information Mandatory”).

      • Description (Optional): Provide context for other administrators.

      • Standard Conditions: Define the validation rule (see Configure Standard Conditions below).

    2. Click Create Standard.

Configure Standard Conditions

Validation rules are processed by AI to determine compliance after you save the standard.

Product Validation Standards

Field

Description

Applicable section

  • Product Name: Validates name formats (for example, requiring a department prefix).

  • Product Description: Validates content within the description (for example, “Must include a ‘WORKAROUND’ section”).

  • Contact Name/Email: Ensures mandatory contact metadata is present.

  • Record Sets: Validates the number and type of tables or datasets included.

  • Delivery Systems: Regulates configurations for data access requests.

  • Custom Property: Validates custom properties defined in the YAML specification.

Define standard

The Define Standard field is used to specify the exact criteria a data product must satisfy to remain compliant. This information is processed by an AI engine to evaluate data product specifications. To ensure reliable validation, structure your requirements using clear, objective, and declarative language.

Example: “The Product Name must begin with a department code in brackets, for example: ‘[FIN]’ or ‘[HR]’.”

Failure Behavior

Select the enforcement action:

  • Ignore: No action is required.

  • Only Warn: The product remains listed, but the owner receives a warning.

  • Suspend and Notify (default choice): The product is unlisted with the status Suspended and becomes unsearchable until compliant. Owners receive an automated email notification.

Impact of New or Updated Standards on Existing Listings

It’s recommended to establish Marketplace standards prior to the onboarding of data products. Introducing or modifying standards post-launch directly impacts currently listed products based on the Failure Behavior configured for that standard.

When a new standard is published, the system evaluates all active listings:

  • Non-Prohibitive Standards: If a standard is configured with the Ignore or Only warn effect:

    • Listing Status: The product remains active and visible in the Marketplace.

    • Owner or Data Product Admin Impact: The product owner will receive a warning notification during their next manual validation or specification update, prompting them to align with the new guidelines.

  • Prohibitive Standards: If a standard is configured with the Suspend and notify effect:

    • Listing Status: The product is immediately unlisted and assigned a status of Suspended.

    • Visibility: Suspended products are removed from Marketplace search results and are no longer browsable by consumers.

    • Notifications: Marketplace Admins and the data product owner and Admins receive an automated email notification detailing the non-compliance.

    • Remediation: Owners must update the product specification to meet the new standard and successfully pass validation to restore the listing.

Update a Marketplace Standard

As Marketplace requirements evolve, you may need to adjust existing standards:

  1. Under the Overview tab > Listing Requirements > Standards, click Manage.

  2. Use the Search bar at the top of the page to locate the standard you wish to modify.

  3. Expand the panel of the standard to reveal its properties.

  4. Update the name, description, or validation conditions as necessary.

  5. Review the Failure Behavior to ensure the enforcement level is still appropriate for the updated criteria.

  6. Click Save.

Note

Updating a standard’s conditions may cause previously compliant products to become Suspended. Refer to Impact of New or Updated Standards on Existing Listings for more details.

Delete a Marketplace Standard

Deleting a standard permanently removes the validation rule from the Marketplace. Data products previously affected by the standard will no longer be restricted by its criteria. If a listed data product is in the suspended state due to this standard, they will return to the listed state.

To delete a standard:

  1. Under the Overview tab > Listing Requirements > Standards, click Manage.

  2. Use the Search bar to find the standard you intend to remove.

  3. Expand the panel for that standard.

  4. Click Delete standard in the bottom-right corner of the panel. The standard is deleted, and as a result:

    • Data products will no longer be validated against this rule.

    • Suspended products: If a product was suspended only because of this specific standard, it becomes eligible for re-listing (provided it meets all other remaining standards).

Manage Marketplace Badges

Badges are visual labels used to categorize and filter products on the Marketplace homepage, enhancing the browsing experience for consumers. The system automatically applies badges to all new and existing listings that satisfy the badge criteria.

Create a Badge

  1. Under Overview > Badges, click Manage.

  2. Click Create new badge and provide the badge information:

    • Badge name: The label displayed on the product page.

    • Badge description: A detailed explanation of the badge that appears when users hover over it.

    • Badge conditions: Select the applicable section (for example, Product Name, Product Description, Domains, etc.) and define the logic (condition) for applying the badge (for example, “Apply if Product Description contains ‘Finance’”).

    • Icon: Click Add icon to select a visual representation.

  3. Click Add.

    Note

    Note to Server Admins: Creating or updating badges triggers the process_product_spec_update system process. You can track this in the Monitor interface. Badge changes are applied asynchronously and take effect once the process completes, usually within a short time.

Update a Badge

  1. On the Badges page, use the Search box to locate the badge.

  2. Expand the badge panel to modify properties.

  3. Click Save.

Delete a Badge

  1. On the Badges page, use the Search box to locate the badge you want to delete.

  2. Expand the badge panel.

  3. On the bottom right, click Delete to remove the badge. This removes it from all associated data products.

Configure Catalog Integration

The Catalog integration block on the Overview tab shows the number of catalog fields available to the data products in the Marketplace. Catalog fields connect data products to custom field metadata from the Alation catalog, such as data classification, domains, or sensitivity, so users can understand the data included in a product.

To configure catalog fields for the Marketplace:

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. On the Overview tab, under Marketplace details > Catalog integration, click Manage.

  3. In the Catalog integration dialog, add, edit, or remove catalog fields and define how their values are assigned to data products. Click Done when you finish.

For the detailed procedure, including aggregation rules and how Data Product Admins add catalog fields to individual data products, see Associate Catalog Fields with Data Products.

Manage Marketplace Permissions

Use the Permissions tab to set the Marketplace privacy (Public or Private) and to assign Marketplace roles to users and groups.

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. Click the Permissions tab under the Marketplace name.

    • Alternatively, on the Overview tab, under Marketplace details > Permissions, click Manage.

For the full procedure, including the available privacy options and Marketplace roles, see Configure Access in the Data Product App.

Configure the Listing/Unlisting Requirements

Refer to Manage the Marketplace Listing Workflow for information on how the Marketplace listing process is governed.

Unlist a Data Product

Marketplace Admins have the authority to remove data products from the Marketplace. Unlisting a product renders it immediately hidden and unsearchable for all data product consumers.

To unlist a data product:

  1. Access the Marketplace Settings.

  2. On the Overview tab, locate the Data Products block and click View all.

    • Alternatively, click the Data Products tab located at the top of the page under the Marketplace name.

  3. In the Data Products table, find the specific product you wish to remove from the Marketplace.

  4. In the rightmost column of the product row, click Unlist. This sends an unlisting request to the designated Marketplace Admins.

The unlisted data product remains intact within the system. The owner or a Data Product Admin can re-list the product at any time if it meets current Marketplace standards.

Delete the Marketplace

You can’t delete the Marketplace through the user interface, but you can do so using the Marketplace API.