What Is Data Lineage?

Data lineage is like a great game of hot potato. Data comes from somewhere—say, a database or a file or something. You use that data to perform some analysis and then pass it on to another system for further processing. Then, the data returns to that first system but with new information. Then it goes to another system… and so on. The data lineage methodology is a way to show how information has been collected, processed, and used. It's most often applied in the field of business intelligence. Business intelligence is gathering data, processing it, and using the results in new or improved processes. With a data lineage methodology, you can see how that process works—and how different pieces of information fit together to provide your team with the best possible information for making decisions. Data lineage is the breadcrumb trail you leave behind as you work with data. You know, like Hansel and Gretel? Except instead of breadcrumbs, it's data. Instead of a forest, it's your business processes. Data lineage ensures everyone knows where their data is at any moment. What else is suitable for that? A GPS tracker that tracks your location 24/7 and sends an alert if you leave your house without your keys, phone, or wallet records all of this information on a website where anyone can see it. So if you're attempting to track down an issue with your system, it can be hard to know where the problem lies: was it in the original data? Or did something happen when you passed it along? Or later on down the line? With data lineage tools, you can track where your data came from and where it went—and what happened between those two points in time!