---
title: "Understand root cause analysis using the Asserts Entity Explorer | Grafana Cloud documentation"
description: "Learn how to access the root cause analysis tools in Asserts from Application Observability"
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# Understand root cause analysis using the Asserts Entity Explorer

Application Observability integrates with [Asserts](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/asserts/introduction/) technology to provide enhanced root cause analysis for your backend services. This integration leverages the [Entity Explorer](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/asserts/troubleshoot-infra-apps/explore-entity-graph/) and related [RCA workbench](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/asserts/troubleshoot-infra-apps/workbench/) to offer greater insight into issues that might be impacting services observed by Application Performance Monitoring.

Using Asserts, you can take troubleshooting deeper by understanding the root cause of an issue with your backend service. For example, your application might have an issue in a backend service that spans multiple services. In this instance, you can access the dependency graph to explore and pinpoint underlying issues by quickly detecting anomalies.

Asserts also provides health metrics that offer hints that the system has issues that might require more attention.

## Access RCA workbench

Within Application Observability, access RCA workbench to continue [root cause analysis](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/asserts/troubleshoot-infra-apps/workbench/#use-the-timeline-to-perform-root-cause-analysis). From any Application Observability dashboard where the **Assertions** button appears, click it and then click **Troubleshoot in Workbench** to continue your investigation into issues.

[Viewing the Asserts Troubleshooting dialog box](/media/docs/grafana-cloud/application-observability/screenshot-application-observability-access-asserts.png)

For example, you can use RCA workbench to discover which service downstream might be impacting the performance of an individual service.

## Access the Asserts Entity Explorer

You can jump to the connections view in Asserts to [view connections between entities](/docs/grafana-cloud/monitor-applications/asserts/troubleshoot-infra-apps/workbench/#view-an-entity-graph). From any Application Observability dashboard where the Assertions button appears, click it and then click **View connected entities**.