What is Sigma Computing?

Sigma Computing is a modern business intelligence platform built for the cloud. It helps you explore, analyse, and understand data directly where it lives, without copying or moving it.

Sigma is designed for business users. You work in a spreadsheet-style interface, but your data comes straight from your cloud data warehouse. That means you always see live, up-to-date numbers.

Traditional business intelligence tools often rely on extracts, scheduled refreshes, and technical dashboards. Sigma takes a different approach. It focuses on self-service analytics, real-time insights, and ease of use for non-technical teams.

In this guide, you will learn:

• What Sigma Computing is

• How Sigma works with cloud data

• Who Sigma is best suited for

Let's get started…

What is Sigma?

Sigma Computing can be clearly defined as a cloud-native business intelligence and analytics platform that lets you analyse live data directly in your cloud data warehouse using a spreadsheet-like interface.

Sigma is often described as “spreadsheets on top of cloud data.” This means:

• You work with rows, columns, and formulas, similar to Excel or Google Sheets.

• Behind the scenes, Sigma translates your actions into SQL queries.

• Those queries run directly on your cloud data warehouse.

It does not copy or extract data into its own storage. Instead:

• Your data stays in systems like Snowflake or Databricks.

• Sigma queries the data in real time.

• Results are always up to date.

As a business intelligence tool, Sigma focuses on usability. You don't need to know SQL to answer most business questions. Business users can filter, calculate, and explore data on their own, while data teams keep control over data models and access.

Sigma sits between traditional BI dashboards and raw SQL tools. It gives:

• More flexibility than static reports.

• More control and governance than ad-hoc spreadsheets.

• Faster insights than legacy business intelligence platforms.

In simple terms, Sigma helps organisations turn cloud data into answers that business teams can actually use.

How Sigma Computing works

Sigma works by connecting directly to your cloud data warehouse. This is a key reason why Sigma is considered a next-generation business intelligence platform.

Instead of copying data into a separate BI tool, Sigma queries data where it already lives.

Here is how Sigma Computing works step by step:

• Sigma connects to cloud data warehouses such as Snowflake and Databricks.

• Users interact with data through a spreadsheet-style interface.

• Every action, such as filtering or creating a formula, is translated into SQL.

• That SQL runs live on the cloud data warehouse.

• Results are returned instantly and always reflect the latest data.

Because Sigma uses live queries:

• There are no data extracts.

• There are no scheduled refreshes.

• There is no risk of outdated reports.

This architecture allows Sigma to scale with large datasets. It also means performance depends on the power of the underlying data warehouse, not on the BI tool itself.

Sigma is built for modern cloud analytics. It works best when paired with a cloud-native data stack and supports real-time, governed access to trusted data.

Who is Sigma for?

Sigma is built for teams that want easier access to data while still relying on a modern business intelligence platform.

Sigma Computing is designed for several types of users:

• Business users

  • People in sales, finance, operations, and marketing.

  • Users who need answers quickly without learning SQL.

  • Teams that prefer spreadsheet-style analysis.

• Data analysts

  • Analysts who need flexible, ad-hoc exploration.

  • Users who want to analyse large datasets directly in the warehouse.

  • Teams that need more freedom than fixed BI dashboards provide.

• Data and analytics teams

  • Teams responsible for data models and governance.

  • Groups that want to enable self-service without losing control.

  • Teams that want to reduce dashboard maintenance work.

• Executives and leaders

  • Decision-makers who need trusted, up-to-date insights.

  • Users who rely on operational and financial reporting.

Sigma helps reduce friction between business teams and data teams. Business users get more autonomy, while data teams keep ownership of data quality and definitions.

Sigma’s rapid adoption and revenue growth reflect strong demand for this type of self-service, cloud-native business intelligence platform.