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When the AI Analyst answers your question, it returns a structured response with multiple components. This page explains what each part means and how to use it.

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Response Components

A typical response includes:
ComponentDescription
AnswerNatural language summary of the results
ChartVisual representation of the data (when applicable)
Data TableThe underlying numbers in tabular format
SQL QueryThe exact query used to retrieve the data

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The Answer

The AI Analyst summarizes findings in plain language. This is designed to give you the key insight without needing to parse raw data. Example:
Your total revenue last week was 142,350,down8142,350, down 8% from the previous week. The top channel was Paid Social at 52,100 (37% of total).
The answer prioritizes:
  • The specific number you asked for
  • Relevant context (comparisons, breakdowns)
  • Highlighting notable patterns

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Charts

When your question lends itself to visualization, the AI Analyst generates a chart. Common chart types:
Chart TypeUsed For
Bar chartComparisons across categories (channels, products, campaigns)
Line chartTrends over time (daily revenue, weekly orders)
TableDetailed breakdowns with multiple metrics
Charts are generated as images and posted directly in the Slack thread.
If a chart doesn’t appear, the AI Analyst determined the data was better presented as text or a table. This often happens for single-value answers or complex multi-dimensional data.

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Data Tables

For questions that return multiple rows, you’ll see a data table showing the raw results. This is the actual output from BigQuery, limited to a reasonable preview size. Example:
channelrevenueorders
Paid Social52,100412
Email38,200298
Organic Search28,750215
You can download the full dataset as a CSV file attached to the response.

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The SQL Query

Every data response includes the SQL query used. This is useful for:
  • Verification — Confirm the AI understood your question correctly
  • Learning — See how to write similar queries yourself using SourceMedium table schemas
  • Iteration — Copy and modify the query in BigQuery for deeper follow-up analysis
Use the AI as a SQL tutor. If you’re learning BigQuery, comparing the generated SQL against our Table Schemas is the fastest way to master your data structure. You can copy any query directly into the BigQuery console to test your own modifications.
Example: 
SELECT
  sm_default_channel AS channel,
  SUM(total_price) AS revenue,
  COUNT(DISTINCT order_id) AS orders
FROM `your-project.sm_transformed_v2.obt_orders`
WHERE order_date BETWEEN '2024-01-08' AND '2024-01-14'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 2 DESC
If the results don’t match your expectations, check the SQL to see how the AI Analyst interpreted your question. Date ranges and filters are common sources of misunderstanding.

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File Downloads

Responses may include downloadable files:
FileContents
query.sqlThe SQL query used
results.csvFull data export (not truncated)
chart.pngThe visualization as an image
These files are attached to the Slack message and can be downloaded directly.

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When Things Look Wrong

If results don’t match your expectations:
1

Check the date range

Review the SQL query to confirm the time period matches your intent.
2

Verify the metric

Make sure the AI Analyst used the metric you expected (e.g., gross revenue vs. net revenue).
3

Check data freshness

Ask “How is my data health?” to confirm the underlying tables are up to date.
4

Rephrase and retry

If the AI misunderstood, rephrase with more specificity and try again.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to resolve them.

Data Health Check

Verify your data is fresh before querying.

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Going Deeper

Once you have results, you can explore further:

BigQuery Essentials

Learn to run and modify queries directly in BigQuery.

Looker Studio Guide

Build custom visualizations from your data.