Definition A record of where data came from and every step it went through to reach a report.
Example A sales total is wrong. Trace the metric back through the reporting dataset and the original invoice records.
See how it works Source invoice records Cleaning and transformation rules Sales reporting dataset Dashboard metric Check your understanding Common mistake: Lineage documents the journey and changes to data. It does not by itself prove source data is accurate.
Where should an unexpected dashboard value be investigated?
Show explanation Trace it backwards through calculations, transformed data and the source records.
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Choose your role to see what this term means in your work.
Why it matters It shows exactly where a number came from when someone questions it.
Where it is used Data catalogues, audits and report troubleshooting.
