How Service Users Work
This page explains how Service Users work in Qualytics — from creation and authentication to lifecycle management and when to use them.
When to Use Service Users
Service Users are intended for secure, automated, and shared access to Qualytics. They provide consistent authentication for system-level workflows, ensuring stability and centralized management without dependency on individual user credentials.
Use Service Users For
-
Data Pipeline Automation: Use Service Users to integrate Qualytics operations within your automated data workflows, such as Airflow, dbt, Azure Data Factory, or other ETL pipelines.
-
Qualytics API Access: For programmatic interactions with Qualytics, such as managing resources or retrieving data through API calls, Service Users offer reliable, long-term access. See the Service Token API for endpoint details.
-
Qualytics CLI Operations: Automate data quality workflows and recurring tasks using the Qualytics CLI without relying on personal user tokens.
-
Data Catalog Integrations: Enable metadata synchronization and data lineage tracking with catalog platforms like Alation, Atlan, or other similar tools.
-
Shared Automation: Use Service Users for any automation or integration shared across multiple team members or systems to maintain consistency, security, and proper audit control.
Avoid Using Personal Access Tokens (PATs) For
Personal Access Tokens (PATs) are meant for individual, short-term, or development use only. Avoid using them in the following scenarios:
-
Shared Data Pipelines: Tokens should not be shared among users due to security risks.
-
Production Integrations: Tokens may become invalid if the associated user is deactivated or their role changes.
-
Team-wide API or CLI Automations: Difficult to manage and audit across multiple users.
-
Long-running Integrations: PATs are tied to individual user lifecycles and are not suitable for continuous system-level access.
Tip
If an automation is shared or runs in production, always use a Service User instead of a Personal Access Token (PAT) for improved stability, security, and governance.
Quick Reference
| Task | UI Location | API Endpoint | Required Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create a service user | Settings → Users | POST /users | Admin |
| Create service token | Users → Generate Token | POST /user-tokens | Admin |
| List service tokens | Settings → Access Tokens (Service tab) | GET /user-tokens/service | Admin |
| Revoke token | Access Tokens → Service tab → Token Menu → Revoke | PUT /user-tokens/{id} | Admin |
| Delete token | Access Tokens → Service tab → Token Menu → Delete | DELETE /user-tokens/{id} | Admin |