Lineage

Lineage is a map of how your tables connect, from the source tables they load from, through the Lake and the Warehouse, to the Writeback tables, DataPrism models, Minds and slide decks that use them. Use it to find where a table's data comes from and what depends on it.

Open the map

1. Click Lineage in the sidebar. It sits in the data part of the sidebar, after WriteBack.
2. Or click the Lineage card on the Dashboard, which reads "Trace every table from source to finish".

On the first load the map draws a skeleton that reads Loading lineage data…. When you change a view or a table mode, it reads Rearranging diagram… and the header shows an Auto-reordering... badge while it settles.

Read the lanes

The map runs from left to right. Each lane header shows how many items it holds: tables, models, minds or decks.

The lanes on the right show what uses or receives the tables on the left. A lane that you may not use is left off the map. See Who sees what.

Every box carries a short badge for its kind: SRC, LAKE, VIEW, DIM, FACT, DICT, STAT, WB, MODEL, MIND or DECK. Click a box to open its details panel on the right.

A lane header can also report items that are hidden from you:

• +N hidden counts the items on that lane that you may not see, for example +3 hidden.
• A lane whose items are all hidden reads Only minds you do not have access to use these tables. The word changes to models or decks on those lanes.
• If the DataPrism Models lane cannot be read, it reads DataPrism is temporarily unavailable, so its models are not shown. The rest of the map still loads.

Change the view

Three buttons in the header choose how the map is drawn.

• Overview groups Lake tables by their data source. It is the default. A data source with 3 tables or fewer is shown expanded. A larger source is shown as a single box with its table count; select it and click Expand, or use the expand control on the box (Expand this data source). Click Collapse all to close every expanded group. This button appears only when at least one source is expanded.
• Detailed shows every table on its own.
• Focus shows one table, Mind, model or deck and its lineage. See Explore and trace lineage.

Your choice of Overview or Detailed is remembered in the browser you are using. It is not kept on your account.

Choose which tables to show

Three buttons in the header choose which tables appear.

Your choice of table mode is not remembered. The map opens on Normal Tables each time you open Lineage.

All Tables and Orphans Only need orphan data, which loads separately from the main map. If you choose either mode before that load finishes, a notification reads "Orphan nodes data is still loading. Please wait a moment." and the map keeps its current mode. Choose the mode again once the data has loaded.

Filter node types and sources

The filter panel sits on the left of the map.

1. If the panel is hidden, click the header button whose tooltip reads Show Lineage filters, or press Alt+1.
2. Under Node types, click a tile to hide or show that kind of item. Use Select all or Clear all to change every tile at once. Each tile shows a short name, and hovering over it shows the full name.
3. Under Source types and Data sources, choose the source types and data sources to show. Each list has its own search box and a Select all or Deselect all control.
4. To hide the panel, click Hide panel, or press Alt+1 again. Drag its edge to resize it. The panel remembers its size and whether it is hidden in this browser.

The tiles sit in three groups:

• Ingestion: Lake, standing for Data Lake Tables.
• Warehouse: Fact, Dimension, View, Static and Dictionary, standing for Fact Tables, Dimension Tables, Views, Static Tables and Dictionary Tables.
• Consumption: Writeback, DataPrism, Minds and Slides, standing for Writeback Tables, DataPrism Semantic Models, Minds and Slide Decks.

Every tile starts switched on, so nothing is hidden until you change it.

While the source lists load, the panel shows a Loading filters placeholder in place of the source sections. The Search source types… box appears only when there are more than five source types. A search that finds nothing reads No source types match "…" or No data sources match "…". Each row shows a count of the items it covers, up to 99+. Rows work with the keyboard: press Enter or Space to switch one.

The filters work together. Switching a source type off also switches off every data source under it, and switching one data source back on marks its source type as selected again. Select all and Deselect all change the whole list.

What you switch off disappears from the map. A Lake or Writeback table hides when its tile or one of its source filters is off. A Warehouse table that still connects to a table on the map stays, even when its data source is off. A Mind, model or deck stays while it is connected to a table that is shown.

Who sees what

The map shows only what you are allowed to see, so two people can see different maps.

• To open Lineage, you need at least one of View Lake Objects, View Warehouse Objects or View WriteBack Objects. Without one of them, the sidebar item is hidden and the page is not available to you. For the Lake permissions in detail, see Who can do what in the Lake.
• You see Lake, Warehouse and Writeback tables only for the types you may view.
• The Minds lane appears only if you may view Minds. A Mind appears only if you may see that Mind and it uses a table you can see.
• The DataPrism Models lane appears only if you may view DataPrism semantic models or reports. A model appears only if it uses a table you can see.
• The Slides lane appears only if you may view slide decks.
• Items you may not see are left out of the map and counted in +N hidden on their lane header.

Limits and edge cases

• The view and table buttons are unavailable while the map loads or rearranges, and the map is covered until it settles.
• If the orphan data did not arrive, the notification reads "Orphan nodes data is not available yet." Refresh the page, then choose the mode again.
• If DataPrism cannot be reached, its lane reads "DataPrism is temporarily unavailable, so its models are not shown."
• If a lane has no items you can see but has hidden items, it reads "Only minds you do not have access to use these tables." The word changes to "models" or "decks" on those lanes.
• Lines to Minds, models and decks show on hover by default. Click the edge button in the header to keep them visible. Its tooltip reads "Mind, model and deck edges show on hover. Click to always show them." This choice is also remembered in your browser.
• For other messages on the map, see Observability troubleshooting.

Questions, answered

Why does my colleague see more on the map than I do?

The map shows only the tables, Minds, models and decks that each person may view. Items you cannot see are left out and counted in +N hidden on their lane.

Why does the Overview show one box per data source?

In Overview, Lake tables are grouped by data source. A source with more than three tables is shown as one box: select it and click Expand to open its tables, or switch to Detailed to see every table on its own.

Why don't I see lines to Minds, models and decks?

They show on hover by default. Click the edge button in the header to keep them visible all the time.

Why is the Minds lane missing?

The lane appears only if you may view Minds. Without that permission, the lane is left out. Ask an administrator if you need it.

Why does a Mind I know not appear on the map?

A Mind appears only if you may view it and it uses a table you can see on the map. Also check whether the Minds tile under Node types is switched off.

What does +N hidden mean?

It is the number of items on that lane that you may not view. They are left out of the map, so you cannot open them from Lineage.

What is an orphan table?

An orphan table has no lines to any other table, Mind, model or deck on the map. A line from its data source does not count. Choose All Tables or Orphans Only to show orphan tables.

Why do some Warehouse tables stay after I switch their data source off?

A Warehouse table that is still connected to a table on the map stays, and a Mind, model or deck stays while it is connected to a table that is shown. To hide the type itself, switch off its tile under Node types.

Why does the DataPrism Models lane say it is unavailable?

DataPrism could not be reached when the map loaded, so its models are not shown. Open Lineage again later.

How do I hide the left panel?

Click Hide panel, or press Alt+1. To show it again, press Alt+1 or click Show Lineage filters in the header.