New and Improved Search Functionality
We’re excited to announce that our new and improved Search capability has now moved to General Availability as of 2.7.7. (this is referred to as Search 2 within our technical documentation). Let’s face it – the current Search experience came out with the first versions of the Quantexa Platform and needed a facelift. Although it did the job, and quite a good one at that, we received feedback from Quantexa users that gave us ideas on how to overhaul the functionality to both keep the UX consistent and to make it a lot more intuitive. Throughout this journey, we also found synergies in the Search setup process by coupling it up with our Data Fusion tool, and making Search a lot faster to set up. By the way, now you can explore our roadmap and give feedback on our features and functionality in our Product Roadmap & Ideas Portal! Be a part of our product development! How we brought Entities front and center From user feedback, we realized that the way users interact with the Search functionality can be improved by bringing more power to search using what Quantexa already knows about entities thereby optimizing the Search query construction. To enable this the Query Building aspects of the Search UI have been redesigned to reframe the search experience around the Entities available in the Platform. This gives the user the power to tell the system what they are looking for (which Entity Type) and then the system offers the most appropriate Data Sources and Search Fields to find the Individual, Business or other Entity the user wishes to search for. Before, the search results could sometimes be not exactly what -the user expected due to incomplete or sub-optimal search configuration. This brings us to our next update – new configuration through Data Fusion! How we simplified Search configuration If you are a Quantexa user, you might be familiar with the Search configuration process which is separate from entity resolution and tuning. What we figured is, if our users are overwhelmingly looking for entities in their searches, why not streamline the search setup up by ‘inheriting’ the settings from Data Fusion, where all the magic happens with entities. To be specific, you no longer manually have to define the search fields and groups yourself as we derive them from Fusion config. So you not only save efforts in setting up a tool, but you also get far better results from reusing the configuration that’s been tuned and tested. We have also improved some existing features: We have updated how our Results Filters work once the user has executed their query. It is now possible to filter using more than one item in the Filter list in the results screen. Additionally, we have improved the Table View of results. How we made Search faster If you are using new Search with our Entity Store then you are able to perform very fast direct Entity Searches even across massive amounts of data. The Entity Store keeps a pre-built version of your resolved entities available at hand, but also updates as soon as there are any changes or new data is introduced, so you get the speed without compromising on the content. How we made de-bugging faster Lastly, it is worth noting that this new version of Search has both re-used existing components within the Platform and is much simpler to support and de-bug than the old version of Search. Together this reduces the overall support burden on Quantexa’s R&D department – you might be thinking this is more of Quantexa benefit, but actually it means we are able to handle support requests faster and free up engineers to work on other enhancements to the Platform. What has been removed? At a fundamental level the new version of Search (known as Search 2 in our technical documentation) has feature parity with the old version of Search (Search 1) plus the new features already explained. However, there are several feature removals that are worth noting: As the Fusion configuration will now drive the search field mappings, there is no need to generate Search Fields anymore, thus we removed the feature altogether. We have removed the support for field boosting as the feature was deemed not useful by our users Facets have been replaced with Aggregations and can be easily migrated from the old Search to the new Search. We have removed the type ahead on Search Fields in the Search Bar as the query-building experience has been re-designed and this feature is no longer necessary. Deprecation and Removal of the old version of Search The old version of Search (Search 1) is deprecated at 2.8.0. We expect to remove the old version of Search from the Platform at the earliest at 2.9.0. All new customers are required to adopt the new version of Search from 2.7.7. onwards. View the New and Improved Search Demo Head over to Product Demos and launch the New Search Demo (login required) for an interactive walk-through of the new features included: Product Demos - Quantexa Community Take a self-guided tour through our interactive demos to see how the Quantexa Platform solves real-world challenges and unlocks powerful insights. How do I provide Feedback? We know this is not the end of the improvements necessary to our search capabilities, so expect to make further investments in the medium term. It would be valuable to hear feedback about the new Search results screen and the query editing experience. Please provide feedback directly to the Search initiative using the Product Roadmap & Ideas Portal. Future roadmap For the next 12 months we will not be making major changes to introduce new capabilities to our Search functionality. Our focus will be ensuring that as our existing customers upgrade and adopt this new version of Search and that the experience of migrating from old Search to new Search is as simple, fast and pain-free as possible. I encourage you to get started with the new Search functionality and let us know how you find it! Read the full release notes and Search 2 Migration Guide on the Documentation site.
Welcome to Parsers 4.2 | Release Announcement
Alongside the release of QP2.7, we are happy to share the release of 4.2.0 of Standard Parsers. This release extends the cleansing options you can define purely in config - configurable simple generic cleansers. We have introduced new config-based cleansers that allow you to perform replacements in strings, remove and keep parts of a string based on pre-defined options, change the case of a string for different languages and to extract specific parts of input strings, all without writing any Scala. These back-end config improvements extend to the front-end. The users of QP 2.7 will have access to the extended configurability described above within the UI - more details are available in the release notes and documentation for QP2.7. The release also brings some key bug fixes and a small improvement to business parsing that should catch more edge cases of business names with odd punctuation distributions. For more information on the release features, please see the 4.2.0 release notes and for general info on Parsers, see the documentation.
Welcome to Quantexa 2.7 | 2.7.0 Release Announcement
We are pleased to announce the release of Quantexa 2.7.0. This release includes: Graph Scripting QSL (Early Access) Highlights Simplified Interface: Configuration-Based Expansions: Define Batch Graph Scripts using the Quantexa Scripting Language (QSL) with a simplified interface, reducing the need for custom Scala code. Enhanced Network Precision: Path-based Expansions: Use path-based Expansions instead of perimeter-based Expansions, resulting in tighter and more focused Networks. Efficient Data Processing: Data Pre-Filtering: Options to pre-filter data help minimize the volume of data that needs to be processed, enhancing overall efficiency. Improvements to the Entity Store Cost Efficiency and Performance: Reduced Elastic Utilization: New indexing format reduces Elastic resource usage by up to 40%, leading to significant cost savings. Smaller Index Size: Optimized Entity structure decreases index size by 60%, allowing projects to run on smaller Elasticsearch clusters. Operational Enhancements: Exclusion of Unchanged Entities: Logs can now exclude unchanged Entities, streamlining log management. Entity Version Tracking: Introduction of a version field in all Entities to track data updates, necessitating a full reload of Elasticsearch indices upon upgrade. Loading Improvements: Flexible Output Paths: Enhanced configuration accepts various path types for output locations, removing the need for file:/// prefixes. Parallel Load Execution: Specify Entity types for parallel loading, significantly reducing load times. Storage Optimization: Entities exceeding a threshold of records are stored without compounds, reducing Elastic storage requirements. REST API Enhancements: Advanced Query Capabilities: Support for the negation operator ! and wildcard queries * across all string attributes, enabling more complex and flexible searches. Pagination Support: Total hits in search responses help determine the availability of additional data, facilitating efficient data retrieval. For detailed migration steps and configuration settings, refer to the 2.6.x - 2.7.0 Migration Guide and relevant configuration references. New Global UI Configuration Service Highlights Streamlined Configuration Management: Unified Configuration Service: Global UI settings have been moved from the Explorer service to a new Global UI Configuration service, providing a centralized method for managing these settings. Dedicated REST API Endpoints: A new REST API allows programmatic access to global UI settings, enhancing integration and automation for users and Low-Code Configuration parts of the Quantexa UI. Future-Proofing and Intuitiveness: Intuitive Settings Location: This reorganization places global UI settings in a more logical location, facilitating easier management and future enhancements. Foundation for Future Improvements: While there is no immediate functional impact in the 2.7.0 release, this change lays the groundwork for future improvements in platform UI configuration. More information ➡️For more details on the release, see the 2.7.0 Release Notes on Platform Documentation. If you cannot access the Documentation site, please get in touch with your Quantexa point of contact or the Community team at community@quantexa.com. To receive updates on every release, click Subscribe in the top-right corner of the Release Announcements page (login required).Welcome to Quantexa 2.6 | 2.6.0 Release Announcement
We are pleased to announce the release of Quantexa 2.6. Highlights: Uncover insights in highly-connected data with QKnowledgeGraph [Experimental] Build and query Graphs quickly and easily with the new Graph API [Early Access] Vulnerability Management Configure Explorer through the Quantexa User Interface (UI) Reduce duplication and lighten workload with Mirror Alerting Uncover insights in highly-connected data with QKnowledgeGraph [Experimental] QKnowledgeGraph is a new capability for the analysis of data at scale. It allows the creation of Graphs from the full population of Entities and the application of Perspectives to specify important connections. It is a Python-based component that is now integrated with QPython. Fig: A graphical representation of a highly complex Graph. Why is this important? Knowledge Graph enables Data Scientists to perform Graph analytics, apply algorithms and build Machine Learning (ML) models on Graphs based on the full data which sits behind Quantexa Networks. The output of this analysis could be integrated into the Assess Scoring model as an Entity Score, that will influence Alerting and help to inform the Investigator/Analyst decision. The APIs and Python-based interface of QKnowledgeGraph make it easy for Data Scientists to master the tool. Build and query Graphs quickly and easily with the new Graph API [Early Access] The Graph API enables you to dynamically build and query graphs via a REST interface. You can define the shape of the graph that you want to generate using the Quantexa Scripting Language (QSL) and execute this without needing to define expansion logic in advance. The resulting graph can then be used to create an Investigation, or scored against the Assess scoring model. Why is this important? The new Graph API offers a quick and easy way to derive intelligence from our interconnected view of your data. It enables technical or data science user to build and query our Graphs without defining structure and expansions in advance, and without having to rebuild the application. They are now free to explore ad-hoc analysis of the Graph, enable Network Scoring in a streaming use case, or validate a Graph’s shape for batch Graph Scripting. Avoid critical threats with industry-leading Vulnerability Management From 2.6.0, we will be targeting zero vulnerabilities in every software release. To continue to address the dynamic landscape of cybersecurity threats, minor platform versions will be released on a monthly schedule, containing upgrades to dependent components that will remedy any identified vulnerabilities. In addition, major and minor open-source dependencies have been re-baselined and upgraded across almost our entire tech stack. This makes sure all releases going forward stay free from any critical or high-risk vulnerabilities. Why is this important? Nothing is more important than the security of your data. Historically, our approach to vulnerability management has been to monitor the vulnerabilities in dependencies to ensure that none pose a risk to the platform. While we are happy that this enables us to maintain a secure product, some Information Security processes may require a different approach. We now meet the stringent vulnerability management requirements outlined in NIST 800-53, an industry-leading cybersecurity standard. This grants you and your Information Security team greater control over the vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure. It also consistently resolves all potential vulnerabilities and reduces your total cost of ownership of The Quantexa Platform by eliminating the need for manual review or lengthy exception processes. Configure Explorer through the Quantexa User Interface (UI) Explorer can now be configured directly through the UI. A user with appropriate privileges can configure the schema for a new Document or Entity Explorer type and an instance of it will be generated and auto-populated. They can then configure its display elements: aggregations, document viewer, results table and quick filters, through this instance before saving it and making the new type available to all users. Fig: UI-driven configuration of Explorer Why is this important? This enables less specialised technical users to configure their project's Explorer types, so that they can be easily set up and designed in line with specific use case and user requirements. This contributes to reducing the complexity of configuring the product, therefore reducing time to value and improving your ability to be self-sufficient. Reduce duplication and lighten workload with Mirror Alerting Mirror Alerting is an optional extension to the standard Alerting process that reduces duplicated Alerts, or Mirror Alerts, which may occur when two Alerted Subjects have a relationship and trigger the same scoring logic. Fig: Mirror Alerting Scenario Why is this important? In use cases like Correspondent Banking and Retail AML, relationship scores can cause double counting because both entities get a relationship risk trigger. The Mirror Alerting framework helps to identify the duplicated risks and reduce the volume of alerts the investigators have to process. The flexible logic allows to define the logic for matching Scores and identifying the mirrored risks. More information To receive updates on every release, be sure to click Subscribe in the top right corner of the Release Announcements page (login required to subscribe): Want to learn more? Check out the Release Notes on the Quantexa Documentation site. If you are unable to access the Documentation site, please get in touch with your Quantexa point of contact or the Community team at community@quantexa.com.
Welcome to Quantexa 2.4 | 2.4.0 Release Announcement
We are pleased to announce the release of Quantexa 2.4, your fourth major update to Quantexa 2. Highlights In this release, you will find: Simplified deployment of best-in-class Entity Resolution with ER Accelerate; Powerful new features including Entity Explorer and Entity Quality Score; More matching tools and improvements to Attributes in our Entity Store. ER Accelerate now available in the Early Access Program (EAP) Combine the components of our existing Entity Resolution capability in a much simpler package to deploy, configure, and use. ER Accelerate will also provide a faster, more user-friendly way to ingest data into the platform and create Entities. The low-code and UI-driven approach, including a new interface for Data Fusion, reduces the time and skillsets needed to resolve Entities, and Entity Explorer brings aggregations to help understand the quality of those Entities. Currently ER Accelerate is only available through the Early Access Program (EAP). During this phase Quantexa will work closely with participating customers to gather feedback on its features and capabilities. To register interest in participating in the program, please reach out to your account team or submit the 'Register Your Interest in the EAP' form on the ER Accelerate site. Entity Quality Scoring (EQS) and Managed Source Documents Entity Quality Scoring (EQS) is the mechanism by which Entities are assessed to help understand their quality. This initial release introduces a machine learning model to assign Entities a score based on how likely it is that they are overlinked, which is an important indicator of Entity health. Managed Source Documents support Entity Management use cases where Data Stewards are looking to force an Entity Merge, Split, or Attribute Override. This is typically part of a workflow to correct the underlying data within a source system. User Interface for User Management A new User Management interface is now available that enables a System Administrator user to list all users, their level of access, and view/edit role assignment. Other highlights Assess Template Generation, a plugin that enables you to generate Assess code, previously known as Assess Accelerate, has new capabilities, including generation for multi-hit Network Scores, the ability to define more types of pipelines, and adding a new Step for ingesting Scores written outside of Assess, such as QPython. Spark 3.3 is now supported across the platform. For more information, see the official Spark Release 3.3.0 documentation. You will find the full set of Release Notes on the Quantexa Documentation site. You can also find out more about project documentation to support you in upgrading Quantexa. If you are unable to access them, you will need to get a user with access to submit a Documentation site access request through the Quantexa Support Portal.Welcome to Quantexa 2.5 | 2.5.0 Release Announcement
We are pleased to announce Quantexa 2.5! Read below for a few exciting highlights. Stream Updates to the Entity Store The Entity Store can now be updated with a streamed ingest of new Documents, and creates a change log describing how the Entity population has changed. In combination with the ability to query the full population of resolved Entities, this update enables near real-time access to the most up-to-date view of your data. Why is this important? Users and downstream systems can now get the latest view of an Entity resolved by Quantexa, enabling business processes that need to access or act upon that update in near real-time - in a Master Data Management solution (MDM), for example - to do so. Deploy and Change Custom Scoring Pipelines through Configuration The addition of Scoring Extension Mode to the Assess Template Generation functionality helps simplify the process of setting up Scoring on a project. With the new Extension Mode, it is now possible to change and add new nodes to a custom Scoring model using configuration files. Why is this important? This significantly reduces the technical skills required for setting up the Scoring pipeline and makes the generation of a custom Scoring pipeline more flexible. Flexible Scorecards: Identify and Aggregate Insights Across Multiple Typologies Assess capabilities and helper functions have been added to support multiple Scorecards on the same level within one Scoring pipeline. Scores can contribute to one or more Scorecards and flexible alerting logic can be set up to include the outcome of multiple Scorecards. Why is this important? This enables the flagging of different types of risks or insights at the same level - for different typologies or different products, for example - and helps an investigator or analyst understand and act upon the full context of the data available. Tune Scorecards with QPython QPython utilities can now interact with Assess configuration files and Scoring pipelines, which simplifies the process of tuning a Scoring model, providing an easy way to conduct a what-if analysis. The interface, using pre-written Python Notebooks, calculates a set of the most common and useful metrics for tuning. The use of Jupyter Notebooks allows the export of the reports for inclusion in the wider model governance process. Why is this important? Scorecard tuning is one of the most important parts of model development, as the model must output the most relevant (e.g., risky or interesting) information for a specific use case. These utilities make the process of Scorecard tuning much more accessible, simple, and quick. It also makes sure that the model addresses the business need and risk appetite of the deployment. Other highlights Speed up and simplify deployment of Explorer with no-code configuration; Merge and split Entities, and override Entity Attributes through the Entity Management Panel (e.g., for Master Data Management solutions); Integrate with Kafka streaming typologies more easily. Share your thoughts on this release in our poll: Which feature of Quantexa 2.5 are you most excited for? To receive updates on every release, be sure to follow the Release Announcements topic: Want to learn more? Check out the Release Notes on the Quantexa Documentation site. If you are unable to access the Documentation site, please get in touch with your Quantexa point of contact or the Community team at community@quantexa.com.
Welcome to Parsers 4 | Parsers 4.0.0 Release Announcement
We are excited to announce the version 4.0 release of Quantexa's Standard Parsers. This release marks a shift in the way the Standard Parsers are used, and it includes an expansion of the data models so that more information is made available for use in Entity Resolution. Here are a few of the features you’ll find in this release: A new low-code interface Standard Parsers are now quicker and easier to deploy and use with new, easily shareable customization options, integration with Data Fusion, and less custom code, giving better coverage of auto-migrations to support upgrades. The setup and customization now uses configuration files, much like Data Fusion, meaning anyone can make changes without the need for writing code. Updated Data Models Entity Resolution can now form higher quality Entities, thanks to more information stored in our Standard Data Models at the parsing stage, so Entities have more contextual information associated with them and alignment with international standards. Higher match rates with Variants The introduction of Variants enables even more use cases, and lets users resolve the same Entity in more ways, in both Search and within Entity Resolution itself, so it’s possible to catch more edge cases. You can now use out-of-the-box Variants with the `address`, `individual` and `business` data models, and even define custom Variants. Name flexibility and internationalisation In the global market, localizations to both individual and business names can impact the accuracy of data, so we’ve updated name structures to represent names in a wider variety of cultures more accurately to the real world, improving Entity quality. For more detail on the new features – including contextual parsing (also known as composite parsing) and additional experimental country-specific address parsing, as well as compatibility and support with different versions of the Quantexa Platform, and other minor changes, see the full set of Release Notes on the Quantexa Documentation site. If you are unable to access the Documentation site, please get in touch with your Quantexa point of contact or the Community team at community@quantexa.com.Welcome to Parsers 4.1 | Release Announcement
We are excited to announce the release of version 4.1 of Quantexa's Standard Parsers. This release focuses on improving the integration with Fusion UI (look out for exciting 2.6 release announcements coming soon) and improvements of the file structure of configuration files. This release includes the following highlights, which are detailed below. Consistency of configuration files - general improvements to Parser and lexicon configuration and files have been introduced to make sure the way you use these files is consistent across all available Parsers. This will make your configuration easier to understand and simplify the process of making future modifications. To minimise redundant data storage in Elastic Search, you can now exclude business standardisation terms that aren’t used in areas such as exclusions for Entity Resolution. Similarly, you can now choose to parse multiple names or just a single name for the Individual Parser to reduce your Elastic Search footprint. For the Telephone Parser you can now specify conditional parsing rules to increase the output accuracy. For example, if you have more specific parsing rules for UK telephone numbers, you can now use country code to parse these telephone numbers differently to the default telephone parsing behaviour. Note: There are no changes in this release that affect the output of parsing.
