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Frequently asked questions

Find answers to the most common questions about AstroBee. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact our support team.

Getting started

AstroBee is an AI-powered business intelligence platform that lets you ask questions about your data in natural language. Unlike traditional BI tools that require dashboard building and SQL knowledge, AstroBee provides instant insights through conversation.Key differences:
  • Natural language interface: Ask questions like you would ask a colleague
  • AI-driven insights: Automatically discovers patterns and provides business context
  • No setup required: Connect your data and start asking questions immediately
  • Learning system: Gets smarter about your business over time
Most users get their first insights within 5-10 minutes:
  1. Sign up (1 minute): Simple OAuth authentication
  2. Explore demo (3 minutes): Try the honey factory dataset
  3. Connect your data (2-5 minutes): Upload CSV or connect database
  4. Ask first question (1 minute): Start getting insights immediately
No training, dashboard building, or complex setup required.
No technical skills required. AstroBee is designed for business users who want to ask questions in plain English. However, it also provides advanced features for technical users:For business users:
  • Ask questions in natural language
  • Get insights with business context
  • No SQL or technical knowledge needed
For technical users:
  • View generated SQL queries
  • Understand data modeling decisions
  • Integrate with existing analytical workflows
AstroBee currently supports:Cloud databases:
  • Google BigQuery
  • PostgreSQL
  • Snowflake (coming soon)
File uploads:
  • CSV files (up to 100MB)
  • Excel files (coming soon)
Additional connectors for Salesforce, MySQL, and other sources are in development. Contact us for specific integration needs.

Capabilities and limitations

AstroBee excels at business intelligence and exploratory analysis:Great for:
  • Performance metrics and KPIs
  • Trend analysis and comparisons
  • Customer and market segmentation
  • Operational efficiency analysis
  • Root cause investigation
  • Cross-departmental insights
Examples:
  • “What’s driving our revenue growth this quarter?”
  • “Which customer segments are most profitable?”
  • “Why did our conversion rate drop last month?”
  • “Show me inventory levels that need attention”
AstroBee is designed for business intelligence, not all data tasks:Limitations:
  • Real-time streaming: Works with batch data (15-minute refresh intervals)
  • Complex statistics: Use specialized tools for advanced modeling, machine learning
  • Data transformation: Connect to cleaned data; doesn’t replace ETL processes
  • Very large datasets: Performance may degrade with 10M+ row tables without proper indexing
When to use other tools:
  • Advanced statistical analysis → R, Python
  • Real-time monitoring → Specialized monitoring tools
  • Data cleaning and transformation → ETL platforms
  • Complex visualizations → Tableau, D3.js
AstroBee’s accuracy depends on your data quality and business context:High accuracy for:
  • Data aggregations and calculations
  • Pattern identification and trends
  • Comparative analysis
  • Metric explanations
Improving accuracy:
  • Provide clean, well-structured data
  • Give business context and feedback
  • Validate surprising results with follow-up questions
  • Use the system regularly so it learns your business
Always validate important business decisions with additional analysis.
Yes, AstroBee works well with datasets of any size:Small datasets (< 1,000 rows):
  • Instant analysis and insights
  • Great for testing and proof of concept
  • Useful for departmental data
Medium datasets (1,000 - 100,000 rows):
  • Optimal performance and rich insights
  • Ideal for most business use cases
Large datasets (100,000+ rows):
  • May require data sampling for complex queries
  • Consider aggregating data for better performance
Even small datasets can provide valuable business insights through AstroBee’s analysis.

Security and privacy

AstroBee implements enterprise-grade security measures:Data protection:
  • End-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest
  • No data storage - queries run against your connected sources
  • Role-based access controls
  • Audit logging for all queries and access
Compliance:
  • SOC 2 Type II certified
  • GDPR compliant
  • Industry-specific compliance available (HIPAA, etc.)
Infrastructure:
  • Secure cloud infrastructure
  • Regular security audits and penetration testing
  • 99.9% uptime SLA
Your data access is controlled by you:
  • Only users you authorize can access your AstroBee instance
  • Queries are logged for audit purposes but not shared
  • Data never leaves your control without explicit permission
AstroBee team access:
  • No access to your data without explicit written permission
  • Support may view query patterns (not results) for troubleshooting
  • All access is logged and auditable
Sharing controls:
  • You control which team members have access
  • Role-based permissions for different data sources
  • Option to share specific insights or keep them private
AstroBee does not store your business data:
  • Queries run directly against your data sources
  • Only connection metadata and user preferences are stored
  • Results are cached temporarily for performance (configurable retention)
What we store:
  • User account information
  • Data source connection configurations (encrypted)
  • Query patterns for system optimization (anonymized)
  • Usage analytics for product improvement
Data residency:
  • Choose your preferred cloud region
  • Comply with local data governance requirements
Yes, AstroBee supports sensitive data with appropriate controls:Healthcare (HIPAA):
  • Business Associate Agreement available
  • PHI protection controls
  • Audit logging and access controls
Financial services:
  • SOX compliance support
  • Data residency controls
  • Enhanced security features
Other regulated industries:
  • Custom compliance configurations
  • On-premises deployment options
  • Enhanced audit and control features
Contact our enterprise team for specific compliance requirements.

Pricing and plans

AstroBee offers flexible pricing based on team size and features:Starter Plan:
  • Individual users or small teams
  • Basic data sources and features
  • Community support
Team Plan:
  • Growing teams and departments
  • Advanced features and integrations
  • Priority support
Enterprise Plan:
  • Large organizations with advanced needs
  • Custom security and compliance
  • Dedicated support and success management
Contact sales for specific pricing based on your needs.
Yes, AstroBee offers multiple ways to try the platform:Free demo:
  • Explore the honey factory dataset immediately
  • No signup required
  • Experience full functionality
Free trial:
  • Connect your own data sources
  • 30-day full access to all features
  • Support included
Proof of concept:
  • Work with our team on your specific use case
  • Extended trial period for evaluation
  • Custom setup and configuration
Start with the demo to see if AstroBee fits your needs.
All plans include:
  • Natural language querying
  • AI-powered insights
  • Data source connections
  • Basic visualizations
  • Standard security features
Team and Enterprise add:
  • Advanced data sources
  • Team collaboration features
  • Priority support
  • Usage analytics
  • Enhanced security controls
Enterprise exclusive:
  • Custom integrations
  • On-premises deployment
  • Advanced compliance features
  • Dedicated customer success
  • SLA guarantees
Yes, AstroBee offers flexible plan management:Plan changes:
  • Upgrade anytime for immediate access to new features
  • Downgrade at the end of your billing cycle
  • No long-term contracts required
Cancellation:
  • Cancel anytime with 30 days notice
  • Data export available before cancellation
  • No cancellation fees
Data retention:
  • Connection configurations preserved for 90 days
  • Full data export available
  • Easy re-activation if you return

Implementation and support

Implementation time depends on your specific needs:Basic setup (Same day):
  • Connect standard data sources
  • Start asking questions immediately
  • Begin getting business insights
Team rollout (1-2 weeks):
  • Configure user access and permissions
  • Train team members on best practices
  • Optimize for your specific use cases
Enterprise deployment (2-6 weeks):
  • Custom security and compliance setup
  • Integration with existing systems
  • Advanced configuration and optimization
Most teams are productive within the first day of setup.
AstroBee provides comprehensive support based on your plan:Community support (Starter):
  • Documentation and guides
  • Community forums
  • Email support (48-hour response)
Priority support (Team):
  • Priority email and chat support
  • Video call support available
  • 24-hour response time
Dedicated support (Enterprise):
  • Dedicated customer success manager
  • Phone and video support
  • 4-hour response time
  • Custom training and onboarding
All plans include access to comprehensive documentation and video tutorials.
Yes, AstroBee offers training options for all team sizes:Self-service resources:
  • Comprehensive documentation
  • Video tutorials and walkthroughs
  • Interactive demos and examples
Live training sessions:
  • Team onboarding workshops
  • Best practices training
  • Advanced features training
Custom training programs:
  • Role-specific training (executives, analysts, business users)
  • Industry-specific use cases
  • Ongoing education and optimization
Most users become productive within 30 minutes of their first session.
AstroBee integrates with your existing data and business tools:Data integrations:
  • Connect to existing databases and data warehouses
  • Work alongside current BI tools
  • Export results to other analytical platforms
Business tool integrations:
  • Slack integration for sharing insights
  • Microsoft Teams collaboration
  • Email reporting and alerts
API access:
  • REST API for custom integrations
  • Webhook support for automated workflows
  • Custom connector development available
Contact our integration team for specific requirements.

Advanced features

AstroBee focuses on conversational analytics rather than traditional dashboards:What AstroBee provides:
  • Interactive charts and visualizations for each query
  • Shareable insights and analysis results
  • Export capabilities for presentations
  • Real-time analysis vs. static reports
Dashboard alternatives:
  • Ask questions to get current insights vs. viewing outdated dashboards
  • Follow conversational threads for deeper analysis
  • Share specific insights with context and explanations
If you need traditional dashboards:
  • Use AstroBee insights to improve existing dashboard design
  • Export data for dashboard creation in other tools
  • Consider whether conversational analysis meets your needs better
AstroBee learns and improves through several mechanisms:Automatic learning:
  • Analyzes your data structure and relationships
  • Identifies patterns in your queries and business needs
  • Learns from your feedback and corrections
  • Adapts to your industry and business model
Active teaching:
  • Provide business context and definitions
  • Explain your key metrics and how they’re calculated
  • Correct misunderstandings when they occur
  • Share domain knowledge and business rules
Continuous improvement:
  • System accuracy improves over time
  • Better understanding of your specific terminology
  • More relevant insights and suggestions
  • Personalized analysis based on your priorities
Yes, AstroBee supports team collaboration and knowledge sharing:Collaboration features:
  • Share insights and analysis results with team members
  • Comment on and discuss findings
  • Build on each other’s analysis and questions
  • Create team knowledge base of important insights
Access controls:
  • Role-based permissions for different data sources
  • Team-level vs. individual analysis
  • Privacy controls for sensitive investigations
Knowledge sharing:
  • Save and organize important queries and results
  • Create templates for common analysis patterns
  • Share best practices and methodologies across teams
AstroBee handles many complex business scenarios and can be taught custom logic:Built-in capabilities:
  • Complex multi-table relationships
  • Time-based analysis and seasonality
  • Customer segmentation and cohort analysis
  • Financial calculations and ratios
Custom business logic:
  • Define custom metrics and KPIs
  • Explain industry-specific calculations
  • Set up business rules and constraints
  • Create templates for recurring analysis patterns
When to use additional tools:
  • Extremely complex statistical models
  • Industry-specific regulatory calculations
  • Real-time algorithmic processing
  • Machine learning and predictive modeling
For very specialized needs, AstroBee can work alongside your existing analytical tools.

Still have questions?

Can’t find your question? Email us at help@astrobee.ai and we’ll add it to this FAQ.