Column

You can run forward and reverse lineage analysis to trace metadata at the column level. Forward lineage analysis generates a lineage with the column as source. And, reverse lineage analysis generates a lineage with the column as target. The Dual lineage analysis generates a lineage, which includes both forward and reverse lineage.

This topic walks you through the following:

Viewing Lineage

To run lineage at the column level, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Application Menu > Data Catalog > Metadata ManagerExplore.
  2. On the Explore tab, click an environment tile to see its details.
  3. In the Data Catalog pane, click a table and then, select a column.
  4. Click the Data Lineage tab.
    By default, dual lineage of the column appears.
    Column Dual Lineage
  5. You can click Graphical View or Grid View to switch between them:
    • Graphical View: The graphical view displays the lineage of the column in a graphical format. Selecting a column on the graphical view displays its Legends. Hovering over a column displays an Icon View Object Details Lineage icon. Clicking this icon opens the object's properties.
      Column Lineage Graphical View

    • Grid View: The grid view displays the lineage of the environment in a tabular format. You can view the source and target system, environment, table, and column associated with the selected column.
      Column Lineage Grid View

  6. Use the following options to work on the lineage in graphical view:

    Search (Icon Lineage Search)

    Use this option to search for columns that you want to see on the lineage.

    Type in the search box to see a list of related columns that are available on the lineage.

    Icon Lineage Search Option Column
    Filter Objects (Icon Lineage Filter Objects)

    Use this option to filter and display required columns in the lineage view.

    Column Lineage Filter Objects

    The unselected objects are replaced with black dots on the lineage diagram.

    Column Lineage Filtered Objects
    Switch View (Icon Lineage Switch View)

    Double-click an object to see Switch View option. Use this option to switch the level of objects displayed and see the system, environment, or table in which the object is located.

    Icon Lineage Switch View Options
    Options (Icon Lineage Options)

    Use this option to view lineage types, business properties and customizations options. For more information on lineage options, refer to the Working on Lineage section.

    Lineage System Options
    Exports (Icon Lineage Exports)

    Use this option to export the lineage. Click Icon Lineage Exports and use the following options:

      • Image (Icon Lineage Export As Image): Use this option to download the lineage as an image, in the .JPG format. Ensure that you expand the required nodes in a lineage before downloading the lineage as image.

      • PDF (Icon Lineage Export As Pdf): Use this option to download the lineage report in the .PDF format. Ensure that you expand the required nodes in a lineage before downloading the lineage report as PDF.

      • Excel (Icon Lineage Export As Excel): Use this option to download the lineage report in the .XLSX format. Ensure that you expand the required nodes in a lineage before downloading the report.

On the lineage, expand a system node, and select a table to view its lineage path. The environment is highlighted in blue color, its forward lineage path appears in red, and its reverse lineage path appears in blue. Systems and environments that are not part of a lineage path disappear.
Lineage Path Col Disappear
Right-click a path around the selected object to highlight its path of the source or target in the lineage.

Viewing Transformations

Transformations between columns are indicated using Icon Transformation Lineage in the lineage. Hover over Icon Transformation Lineage to view transformation rules for the columns on a pop-up. Or, click the path between the columns to highlight it to view detailed transformations between them in the Transformation Details pane.

Lineage Viewing Transformation Column

You can expand the transformation node to view the transformation details that includes Business Rule, Extended Business Rule, Trans lookup Condition, Lookup On, and more relevant properties.

Working on Lineage

Lineage of a column shows how metadata moves through columns. It provides a summary of columns used as source and target. Also, it gives information about technical and business properties of columns involved in the lineage.

Use the following options to work on lineage:

Forward Lineage

Use this option to view forward lineage of the column.

Column Forward Lineage

Reverse Lineage

Use this option to view reverse lineage of the column.

Column Reverse Lineage

Dual Lineage

Use this option to view dual lineage, which includes both forward and reverse lineage of the column.

Column Dual Lineage

Sensitivity Indicator

Use this option to view sensitivity of the columns in the lineage. You can expand the environment node to view sensitive columns. The sensitive assets are indicated using Icon Sensitive Indicator.

Sdi Col Lineage

Logical Name

Use this option to view expanded logical names of the tables and columns in an environment in the lineage. You can expand a system node to view environments and tables.

For example, the following image displays the table's logical name in the lineage.

Lineage Ln Col

Expanded Logical Name

Use this option to view expanded logical names of the tables and columns in an environment in the lineage. You can expand a system node to view environments, tables, and columns. or more information on configuring extended properties of columns, refer to the Configuring Extended Properties topic.

For example, the following image displays the table's expanded logical name in the lineage.

Lineage Eln Col

DQ Tool Score

Use this option to view the data quality score of the environments, tables, and columns in the lineage. You can expand a system node to view data quality scores for environments, tables, and columns.

For example, the following image displays the data quality score in the lineage.

Lineage Dq Score Column

Auto Layout

Use this option to rearrange the layout of the lineage automatically.
For example, the following image displays the rearranged object layout with respect to the previous screenshot.

Lineage Auto Layout Col

Overview Lineage

Use this option to view the lineage excluding systems and environments that do not exist in the Metadata Manager. When this option is switched off, the views include systems and environments, that do not exist in the Metadata Manager.

For example, the following image displays lineage excluding assets that do not exist in Metadata Manager.

Lineage Overview Column

Overview Pane

Use this option to remove the lineage overview pane from the graphical view.