💪 Did you know? When classifying an asset, you can also customize how classifications are propagated to the child and downstream assets.
Atlan propagates classifications to related assets for you automatically.
To downstream assets
Atlan propagates classifications through lineage. For example:
- You classify a column as
PII. - That column has downstream columns (in lineage).
- Atlan will classify those downstream columns as
PII, too, if propagation is enabled.
This is particularly useful when you want to classify data for protection reasons. When combined with purposes, Atlan will protect all downstream copies of the data automatically.
To child assets
Atlan also propagates classifications from parent to child assets. For example:
- You classify a database table as
Marketing Analysis. - Atlan will classify all the columns in that table as
Marketing Analysis, too, if propagation is enabled. - You can also configure the propagation of your classifications:
- Hierarchy & lineage allows classification propagation to child and downstream assets.
- Hierarchy only (no lineage) allows classification propagation to child assets only.
- No propagation disables any classification propagation.
This is particularly useful when you want to classify data for a business domain or project use. Atlan will include all assets under the level you classify in that business domain or project.
