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Data tools
Data tools give Piste paid search, keyword, SEO, enrichment and web data. Each workspace has a $50 monthly allowance by default, and calls over $0.50 need approval.
Data tools give Piste paid external data: search results, keywords and trends, SEO and backlinks, people and company enrichment, and reading web pages. They're on for every workspace by default, with a monthly allowance of $50 per workspace. Piste asks before any call over $0.50, and stops for the month when the allowance is used.
What data can Piste get?
You don't need an account with any data provider: Piste makes the calls, and each one counts against your workspace's allowance.
| Kind of data | For example |
|---|---|
| Search results | What Google, Bing or Yahoo shows for a search |
| Keywords and trends | Keyword data, and the keywords a website ranks for |
| SEO and backlinks | Backlinks, linking domains, anchors, page metrics and page audits |
| People and company enrichment | Details about a company or a person, such as a supplier or a stockist |
| Web reading | Searching the web, and reading or mapping a website |
Ask in plain words, for example "What are the top Google results for merino beanies?". Piste finds the right data source, reads what it costs, and makes the call.
Where do I see and change the allowance?
Open the Connections page
Press Connections in the links at the foot of the sidebar. The Data tools card is under Tools: "SEO, ads and market data, paid per call."
Check this month's spend
"This month" shows what the workspace has spent against its allowance, such as "$1.20 of $50.00".
Change the switch or the allowance
Turn "Use data tools" on or off, or type a new "Monthly allowance" in dollars, between $0 and $10,000.
Press Save
Press Save. The card's state reads "Connected" while data tools are on, and "Not connected" while they're off.
Only the workspace owner can change these settings.
When does Piste ask first?
| The call | What happens |
|---|---|
| Priced at $0.50 or less | Runs without asking, if the allowance has room |
| Priced over $0.50 | Waits for approval |
| No listed price | Waits for approval |
| Changes something at the data source, rather than only reading | Waits for approval |
| Would cost more than is left of the allowance | Isn't made |
The workspace owner, or the person who started the conversation, can approve. Every approval is recorded in the decision log.
Before each call, Piste sets aside the most the call may cost against the allowance, then settles to what it actually cost, so the allowance is never overspent.
Can automations use data tools?
Yes, for calls that don't need approval. In an automation run nobody is there to approve, so a call over $0.50, with no price, or that changes something isn't made: "An automation run can't ask anyone to approve it."
What happens when the allowance runs out?
Piste stops making paid data calls for the rest of the month and says the workspace "has used its external data allowance for the month". The allowance resets at the start of each calendar month in UTC. The owner can raise it on the Connections page at any time.
Who can use data tools?
Anyone who talks to Piste in your workspace can ask for data, including your team in Slack. Calls come out of the same workspace allowance. Only the owner turns data tools on or off and sets the allowance.
Limits
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Default | On, with a $50 allowance |
| Allowance period | One calendar month, in UTC |
| Allowance range | $0 to $10,000 a month |
| Asks before a call over | $0.50 |
| One call's time limit | 60 seconds |
Related
- Usage and billing: how Piste's usage is counted.
- Approvals: who can approve, and where.
- Connected apps: the tools you run the business in.