Query consumption and segments

• Latest Dynatrace
• Reference
• 1-min read
• Published Aug 13, 2026

While configuring a segment, some UI actions execute underlying DQL queries, for example, to preview or validate which data matches. This is by design.

Beyond pure configuration, segments also serve as an exploration tool, helping you iteratively define and validate segments by querying your data. This behavior is consistent with exploration apps such as Notebooks, where queries are executed to retrieve and display data.

Whether these queries result in query consumption depends on the data type being queried:

If there are any costs, the billing footprint of segment setup is typically minimal, as all preview queries are subject to strict constraints, including a limit of 50 records, sampling, and scan limits.