Technical GlossaryData Science and Data Management

Data Lineage

The visible trace of all movements and transformations a data element undergoes from source to report or model.

Data lineage makes the life journey of a data element visible. It shows where the data came from, which tables it passed through, what transformations it underwent, and which reports or models ultimately consumed it. Lineage helps identify the root cause of data issues more quickly, improves impact analysis, and increases auditability. It is especially valuable for regulation, model risk management, and enterprise trust in data. In many cases, not only the final value of data matters, but also its history.