FAQs
General
What is Carbon Arc?
Carbon Arc is a decision intelligence platform and insights exchange that provides actionable, consumption-based insights to decision-makers across a wide range of industries via a platform that allows for companies and funds to pay for the data they need to drive lift in their decisions. We work with some of the largest banks, consulting firms, hedge funds, and companies. We deliver transaction data that informs how people spend their time and money, balance sheet, and how companies interact with one another - think credit card, app, trade claims, ticket data, healthcare claims - and the data is used to power multiple use cases like driving alpha, model building, inventory management, ticket pricing, supply chain management to name a few.
What types of data does Carbon Arc provide?
Carbon Arc focuses on sourcing the most interesting data sets that help answer current and future questions for our customers. The evaluation process considers data that informs how people spend their time and money, balance sheet, and how companies interact with one another. We source data from first- and third-party data providers and follow a detailed process that includes FISD-based due diligence questionnaires and virtual meetings as necessary to review data rights and privacy.
Is Carbon Arc’s data real time or historical?
Carbon Arc’s data is both historical and with frequent updates. While most data is not real-time, many datasets are refreshed daily, weekly, or monthly to provide timely insight into trends and performance.
Where and how does Carbon Arc source its data from?
Carbon Arc uses FISD DDQ as a baseline for conducting DD on third party data vendors.
Do I need a data science or engineering team to use Carbon Arc?
No, you can use the Platform UI and we have dashboards available that let you explore the data interactively without needing to query it directly.
Platform
What is a “framework”?
Frameworks are Carbon Arc’s foundational units for building, accessing, and interpreting data. Each Framework pairs a core entity—like a brand, company, location, or person—with a curated insight such as Credit Card Spend, or Website Traffic, designed to answer a real business question.
How do I explore or purchase data on the platform?
You can explore and purchase data on the Carbon Arc platform by browsing through the Data Library, where datasets are organized by topic. Each listing includes stats, metadata, and pricing details. To purchase, select the fields or panels you need in Builder, add them to your cart, and complete the checkout via the Platform UI.
Can I save filters when I’m building a framework?
Yes, you can save filters when building a framework. The platform allows you to save and reapply custom filter sets, so you can easily revisit or modify your framework without starting from scratch. This is especially useful for recurring analyses or team collaboration.
Can I combine multiple frameworks?
Yes, you can combine multiple frameworks on the Carbon Arc platform. Frameworks are designed to be modular, allowing you to layer datasets across different topics or entities—such as companies, locations, or industries—to build richer, more tailored insights.
What is data refresh vs. reinstatement?
Data refresh: a data refresh adds new information to a dataset, such as the latest week of transactions, through scheduled updates from the data provider.
Data reinstatement: a data reinstatement involves updates that modify historical data or panel structures. This typically occurs with the release of a new Carbon Arc Ontology version, but it may also result from restatements or corrections made by the data provider
Note: Clients must purchase refreshed or reinstated data to keep their frameworks up to date. A data reinstatement resets access.
How do I translate queries from the platform into my programmatic build?
To translate queries from the platform into a programmatic build, use Entity IDs and Insight IDs as reference handles:
Entity IDs represent real-world concepts like brands, companies, or geographies. These are standardized across all datasets to ensure consistent joins and comparisons.
Insight IDs refer to specific metrics or calculated fields (e.g., card spend, visits, job starts).
Each query in the platform UI maps to these IDs behind the scenes. When building programmatically (via API or SDK), use the same IDs to pull identical data or replicate UI-based insights. The Query Builder or Network tab can help identify the corresponding IDs for your use case.
How often is data updated?
Varies by dataset. Please reference the Data Library for exact details.
In what format can I export data?
You can export data from Carbon Arc in multiple formats, including CSV via the Platform UI. For programmatic access, data can also be delivered through API in larger volumes, depending on your preferences.
Developers & Technical Integration
Where can I find developer documentation?
Developer docs are available on Carbon Arc's Developer GitHub and internal platform documentation. These include API references, SDK guides, and integration examples.
How do I authenticate with the API or platform?
Authentication is done via secure API tokens. You can generate and manage your token from the User Portal > API Access section.
Does Carbon Arc support integration with tools like Tableau, Power BI, Snowflake, Databricks?
It depends, Carbon Arc does not currently support direct integrations with Tableau, Power BI, or indirect / direct connections to Snowflake or Databricks.
Can I setup automated data pulls and schedule refreshes?
Yes, you can configure automated data pulls and scheduled refreshes through the API or platform workflows.
Access and Pricing
Is there a free trial available?
No, Carbon Arc follows a pay-as-you-consume model with no free trial.
How is pricing structured?
Pricing will vary by use case where options include a platform access fee, per MB pricing, unmetered consumption for a fixed price, and bulk delivery pricing for high-volume use.
Do I pay a fee for new users?
No, there is no additional fee per user. Platform access is organization-based.
Can I get access to only select datasets?
Yes, you pay for only what you consume. Clients with risk or compliance teams can enable specific datasets without making the full data catalog available to their teams.
Can I see the price of a framework before I buy it?
Yes, pricing is visible directly in the platform UI and available programmatically via the API before confirming any purchase.
Client Success & Support
What kind of support is available for users of Carbon Arc APIs?
Carbon Arc provides comprehensive support including detailed documentation and technical assistance to ensure users can effectively utilize the APIs for their specific needs.
For clients with specific questions, please reach out to your dedicated sales contact or email support@carbonarc.co.
Do you offer onboarding sessions or training for enterprise teams?
Yes, Carbon Arc provides guided onboarding, live training sessions, and tailored support for enterprise teams.
Who do I contact for support or partnership inquiries?
For support or partnership inquiries, reach out via the Help tab in the Platform or email support@carbonarc.com.
Does Carbon Arc offer consulting services to build customer data products or dashboards?
Our Insights teams build out Dashboards programmatically. Please contact sales@carbonarc.co with any questions.
What happens if I don’t see an Entity I am looking for?
You can submit a request directly in the platform using the “Request Entity” button or contact support. Most entity additions are handled within a few business days.
Security, Privacy, and Compliance
What compliance standards does Carbon Arc follow?
Carbon Arc adheres to SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and other industry-standard controls to ensure data security, privacy, and operational integrity.
Can I control or limit who in my organization accesses what data?
Yes, you can manage access using role-based permissions and team-level controls within the platform.
How can I control or limit access to new datasets when they are launched?
Compliance Admins can restrict access to newly listed datasets using custom permission settings or opt-in workflows before data becomes available to users.
How do you handle PII?
Carbon Arc does not expose personally identifiable information (PII). All datasets are aggregated and anonymized in accordance with strict privacy protocols.