Introduction

To foster a culture of data literacy, it is imperative to possess a comprehensive understanding of the data itself. This necessitates the establishment of a unified and shared definition that elucidates the connections with business processes. Enter the crucial realm of Data Governance, specifically embodied in the Business Glossary. This strategic component answers the fundamental question, “What is data?” by encapsulating the semantic definitions of data. The Business Glossary serves as a linguistic cornerstone within the organization, mitigating potential misunderstandings and errors. It acts as the gateway to the data universe, bridging the gap towards cultivating a shared data culture.

Common components encompass the definitions of entities such as Customers, Products, Employees, Users, Performance Indicators (KPI), Orders, Invoices, and more. Within each of these entities, a myriad of attributes can be specified, including but not limited to Description, ID, Fiscal Code, E-mail, Address, Amount, Quantity, Unit of Measure, Currency, and so forth. It’s crucial to note that the pertinent attributes defining a Business Glossary entry can differ across organizations. Hence, the use of a flexible tool becomes paramount to accommodate and adapt to the unique needs of each entity and organization.

Business Glossary Tools in Blindata

Blindata offers a comprehensive suite of tools within the Business Glossary module, empowering users to effectively define and manage business entities, concepts, and associated metadata. Here is an overview of the key tools available:

1. Define Business Entities and Concepts with Data Categories:

   • Utilize Data Categories to categorize and organize business entities and concepts, promoting a structured approach to metadata management.

2. Define Terms with Logical Fields:

   • Define business terms with precision by specifying format, naming conventions, and computational rules, ensuring consistent interpretation across the organization.

3. Build Semantic Relationships between Concepts by Defining Logical Relations:

   • Establish meaningful connections between business concepts through Logical Relations, enhancing the understanding of interdependencies within the business landscape.

These tools collectively provide a comprehensive suite for business glossary management, allowing organizations to maintain clarity, consistency, and a deeper understanding of their business vocabulary and concepts. Users can leverage these features to promote standardized practices, enforce computational rules, and build meaningful semantic relationships, contributing to improved data governance and knowledge sharing across the enterprise.

Using the Business Glossary

The Business Glossary can be utilized based on the approach that aligns with your needs:

1. Manual Entry via UI or Spreadsheet Upload:

   • The Business Glossary cataloging can be performed manually through the user interface or by uploading spreadsheets.

2. Automated via API Integration:

   • Data Categories, Logical Fields and Logical Relations can be managed using the API endpoints exposed by Blindata.

For more detailed instructions, please refer to the specific sections of this user guide.

Glossary of Common Terms

In order to understand this tutorial, consider the following definitions: