Classifications
Not all data is created equal. Some columns contain personally identifiable information (PII), some tables hold sensitive financial data, and some objects have specific regulatory requirements. ADL’s classifications feature helps you track all of this.
What are classifications?
Section titled “What are classifications?”Classifications are tags you can apply to Data Objects, Data Items, and Data Connections. They let you categorize and label your metadata for any purpose — compliance, security, documentation, or just organization.
Common examples include:
- PII — Personally identifiable information like names, email addresses, or phone numbers.
- Sensitive — Data that requires extra security controls.
- Confidential — Business-sensitive information with restricted access.
- Source / Landing / Staging — Tags that describe which layer of your data solution an object belongs to.
You can define whatever classifications make sense for your project — there’s no fixed list.
Why classifications matter
Section titled “Why classifications matter”- Compliance tracking — Regulations like GDPR and HIPAA require you to know where sensitive data lives. Classifications give you a clear inventory.
- Template logic — Templates can use classifications to generate different output based on the type of data. For example, a documentation template might highlight PII columns, or a table template might add encryption to sensitive fields.
- Organization — Classifications help you group and filter objects in the ADL app, making it easier to find what you’re looking for.
- Communication — When your data objects carry clear classification tags, everyone on the team can see at a glance what kind of data they’re dealing with.
Working with classifications in ADL
Section titled “Working with classifications in ADL”You manage classifications from the Classifications screen in the app. Here you can:
- Create new classification types for your project
- Assign classifications to Data Objects, Data Items, and Connections
- Review which objects carry which classifications
Classifications are stored as part of your metadata, so they’re versioned alongside everything else in your repository.
What’s next?
Section titled “What’s next?”- Naming Conventions — Learn about enforcing consistent naming in your project.
- Metadata & Data Objects — Review the core metadata concepts.
- Using the App — Classifications — Manage classifications in the ADL interface.