Reference

Check which data Winston can use

Three questions determine whether Winston can do a job: is the source connected, does it contain the required data, and does Winston support the requested workflow?

A Connected badge is a starting point. It does not prove that every store, date, field or action is available.

Check the coverage

Ask:

For this request, list the connected sources, stores or accounts available, latest data dates, required fields and missing inputs. Tell me which parts you can complete before starting the analysis. Do not change anything.

For a multi-store report, verify the locations explicitly. For a customer analysis, verify how records are matched and what history is available. For a margin report, verify cost coverage. For historical inventory, confirm that historical stock records exist; today's inventory alone does not establish past stockout duration.

Different sources support different jobs

Area	Data the job may require
Inventory and sales	POS transactions, products, sellable stock, costs and store mapping.
Promotion or campaign performance	Promotion definitions, redemptions, campaign sends, attribution, costs and a suitable comparison.
Vendor reimbursement	Eligible sales plus authoritative vendor terms, dates, rates and exclusions.
Workforce operations	The relevant workforce system and permitted task, shift or process records. POS cashier data is not a full HR record.
Compliance comparison	Authorized records from the relevant regulatory system and POS, with matching license and package scope.

These are data requirements, not a promise that every integration or monitor is available in your workspace.

Analysis and monitoring are separate

A connected system may support a question in Chat before it supports an automatic Overview monitor. A one-time file upload may help with an analysis without providing a source that can refresh every day.

For marketing or HR monitoring, define the exact condition and ask whether a supported monitor, skill or scheduled task can perform it. Keep sensitive workforce outputs limited to the intended audience; do not assume a manager-only instruction creates access controls. See Request a custom monitor.

Access and writes

The source permission, Winston's implemented connector operations and workspace controls all matter. A key that permits writes does not guarantee Winston supports every write; a read-only connection cannot perform a write to that source.

An admin should review access in Settings → Connections. Enter credentials only in the connection flow, never in a chat prompt or support screenshot. If a tool is unavailable, use the request option where offered or contact Support. See Connect your tools.