Query Product Events

Query Product Events

Use this skill with the Altertable MCP server.

Quick Start

1. Call initialize before any other Altertable MCP tool.
2. Use list_catalogs, then inspect the product_analytics catalog with get_catalog. Do not assume schemas, views, or columns.
3. Choose the identity-resolved event view for user-level analysis and the raw ingestion table only when inspecting payload delivery.
4. Validate SQL with validate_sql, then execute it with query_lakehouse.
5. State the time range, environment, identity semantics, and any data-quality limitations with the result.

Read the canonical Product Analytics overview and query guide for the current data model and supported analysis paths.

When to Use This Skill

• Counting or listing tracked product events
• Inspecting event properties or recent user activity
• Joining events to resolved identities or traits
• Investigating whether new instrumentation is arriving
• Analyzing product behavior with SQL
• Comparing event activity across time, environment, plan, or another dimension

Use instrument-product-analytics when the task changes application code or sends new events. Prefer:

• analyze-funnels for ordered conversion and drop-off
• analyze-web-traffic for pageviews, sessions, referrers, UTM, device, or country
• build-segments for defining or comparing cohorts
• query-lakehouse for generic or cross-catalog SQL

Query Workflow

1. Establish Context

Call initialize first. Confirm the organization and environment before inspecting data.

Clarify:

• the event or behavior being measured
• the requested time range and timezone
• whether the metric counts events, sessions, or distinct people
• which environment is in scope
• whether anonymous and aliased identities should be resolved

2. Discover the Current Schema

Use list_catalogs and get_catalog to discover the actual product_analytics schemas, tables, views, columns, and semantic definitions.

Do not copy a table path from an old query without checking it. Product Analytics commonly exposes both raw ingestion data and identity-resolved analytical views; choose based on the question rather than convenience.

When a field is stored in event properties, inspect its observed shape before casting or aggregating it.

3. Build a Bounded Query

• Fully qualify tables as catalog.schema.table.
• Add an explicit time filter.
• Use LIMIT while inspecting rows or property shapes.
• Use deterministic ORDER BY when results may be paginated.
• Define whether counts are raw events or distinct resolved users.
• Guard casts and ratios against malformed values, nulls, and division by zero.

Validate with validate_sql. Use explain_sql before a complex or expensive query, then run query_lakehouse.

4. Check the Result

Before drawing a conclusion:

• compare the result with total volume or a nearby time range
• check null and unknown identity rates when analyzing users
• look for duplicated retries or abrupt ingestion gaps
• distinguish missing events from genuine zero activity
• mention incomplete recent data if ingestion may still be processing

When validating new instrumentation, confirm the event name, environment, expected properties, and identity context. Do not expose a user's sensitive properties in the response.

5. Present the Answer

Report:

• the metric and unit
• exact time range and timezone
• event-count versus distinct-user semantics
• filters and environment
• important data-quality caveats

Offer SQL or a rendered insight when useful, but do not save an insight unless the user asks.

Common Pitfalls

1. Querying before initialize
2. Assuming a table or column name instead of inspecting the catalog
3. Mixing raw and identity-resolved events in one metric
4. Treating event count as user count
5. Omitting the time range or environment
6. Casting arbitrary property values without checking their shape
7. Interpreting an ingestion outage as a behavioral drop
8. Returning sensitive traits or event properties unnecessarily