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Analyses

Analyses give teams a focused workspace for reviewing evidence, preparing findings, and coordinating decisions around a specific investigation or review. Use an analysis when the work needs a cover document, supporting assets, reviewers, comments, and an activity trail in one place.

When to Use Analyses​

Use an analysis when you need to:

  • Gather files, notes, notebooks, diagrams, and references for an investigation.
  • Draft a reviewed cover document that summarizes findings or recommendations.
  • Compare asset versions while keeping the current version clear.
  • Anchor comments to specific lines, cells, slides, headings, or sections.
  • Ask reviewers to approve, request changes, or record a decision.

Use Documents and Wiki for durable knowledge that should live as reviewed space documentation. Use Data Questions for a Q&A thread where the main goal is getting an answer from domain experts. Use an analysis when the work is a case file: evidence, review, and conclusions belong together.

Workspace Layout​

The analysis workspace has three main areas:

  • Header — title, owner, due date, summary, cover image, review actions, and save controls.
  • Tree rail — cover document, uploaded assets, linked documents, linked entities, and actions for adding more context.
  • Workbench — the selected cover document or asset preview, with comments, activity, and reviewer context nearby.

The cover image can be selected from configured search results or uploaded directly from your device. Direct upload remains available even when image search is disabled by an administrator.

Cover Document​

Every analysis can have a cover document. The cover document is the narrative entry point for the analysis: use it to summarize the question, evidence, decision, risks, next steps, and reviewer notes.

Cover documents use the same document-page foundation as the space wiki. They support Markdown editing, draft saves, publishing, line-numbered review, and links back to the analysis. When a cover document is published, it can be used as the current reviewed summary for the analysis.

Editors can embed diagrams and maps directly into the cover document. Map embeds are saved as .qmap attachments, can be edited from the rendered document, and keep a small attachment history so reviewers can see when a map changed. Administrators must configure a MapLibre style URL before maps render; coordinate entry still works when optional place search is unavailable.

Assets and Versions​

Assets hold the evidence and working material for the analysis. You can upload files or create text-based assets, then select them from the tree rail.

Supported previews include:

Asset typePreview behavior
Markdown or textRendered with line numbers for review comments.
NotebooksNotebook cells are shown so code, Markdown, and outputs can be reviewed.
Images and filesDisplayed or made available for download when preview is not available.
Spreadsheets or slide-like contentReview anchors can reference cells, sheets, slides, or sections when available.

Markdown assets support the same diagram and map embeds as the cover document.

When a new version is added to an asset, the analysis keeps the version history so reviewers can understand what changed without losing the previous evidence. The current version is the one shown by default in the workbench.

Repository Browser And Git Review​

Analyses can be backed by a Qarion-managed Git repository. Use the Repositories area when you need to inspect the Git projection directly: branches, commits, files, merge requests, and review diffs. Analysis repositories appear alongside project repositories and your personal repository in the repository inventory.

Repository rows show the repository kind, sync status, default/develop branch, last sync time, clone instructions, and any linked Analysis. Use the search and status filters to find repositories that are synced, pending, conflicted, or in error. If a repository shows an error or conflict, open it and review the latest branch, commit, or merge-request context before treating the Analysis as fully current.

Browse Analysis Files​

Open an Analysis repository to:

  • Switch between tracked branches, including main, develop, and imported user branches.
  • Browse the repository tree and preview supported text, Markdown, notebook, image, Word, and presentation files.
  • Download a single file or a branch archive.
  • Review recent commits and open a commit diff.

Binary assets and attachments may be stored through Git LFS. If a cloned file is only a small pointer file, run git lfs pull in the local clone before reviewing the binary content.

Work With Branches​

For Analysis repositories, Qarion owns the protected main and develop branches. The normal user workflow is:

  1. Clone the repository from the clone instructions.
  2. Start from develop.
  3. Create a user branch such as user/<your-slug>/<topic>.
  4. Push the branch to the managed Git provider.
  5. Review the imported branch or merge request in Qarion.

Project repositories can also create writable branches from the browser. Repository admins can protect or unprotect project branches and remove unprotected branches. Protected Analysis branches should stay managed by Qarion's sync and publish flows.

Review Merge Requests​

The repository browser includes a Merge requests view for analysis and project repositories. Use it to compare the raw diff, inspect rendered previews for supported asset types, add anchored comments, and review requested changes.

Analysis repository merge requests are opened and published from the Analysis approval flow. Project repository merge requests can be opened from the repository browser, assigned reviewers, approved or sent back for changes, and merged after the configured approval rule is satisfied.

The Governance links view connects a repository to data products, contracts, or quality checks. Use these links when a repository creates, consumes, validates, deploys, documents, or maintains a governed asset. They help reviewers understand why a repository matters and where changes may affect catalog, contract, or quality workflows.

Publish Project Repositories Into Analyses​

Project repositories can be imported into an Analysis when repository content needs to become a reviewed case file. Select the source branch and primary file, then publish into an existing Analysis or create a new one. Qarion imports supported files, reports skipped paths, and keeps the repository linked to the resulting Analysis.

Linked Documents and Entities​

Analyses can link to existing document pages and related platform entities. Use links to connect the case file to source policies, runbooks, data products, issues, access requests, or other context that should remain owned by its original module.

Linked documents are references, not copies. Updating the source document keeps the authoritative content in one place while the analysis retains the connection for review and audit context.

Comments and Anchors​

Comments can be attached to the cover document or a selected asset. When reviewing structured content, comments can include anchors such as:

  • Line ranges in Markdown or text previews.
  • Notebook cells or headings.
  • Spreadsheet names and cell ranges.
  • Slide numbers or section labels.

Anchors help reviewers point to the exact evidence behind a question or requested change.

Reviewers and Activity​

Add reviewers when the analysis needs approval or recorded feedback. Reviewers can approve, request changes, or leave comments depending on their role and the current analysis state.

The activity feed records meaningful changes such as metadata edits, asset updates, document changes, reviewer decisions, and linked-context changes. Use the activity feed to reconstruct how the analysis evolved over time.