Configure reference list

Data Integrity Suite
Product
Spatial_Analytics
Data_Integration
Data_Enrichment
Data_Governance
Precisely_Data_Integrity_Suite
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Data_Observability
Data_Quality
dis_core_foundation
Services
Spatial Analytics
Data Integration
Data Enrichment
Data Governance
Geo Addressing
Data Observability
Data Quality
Core Foundation
ft:title
Data Integrity Suite
ft:locale
en-US
PublicationType
pt_product_guide
copyrightfirst
2000
copyrightlast
2026

Reference lists provide information to help users understand data context and lineage. They are an important part of data governance as they help ensure consistency and accuracy in how data is used across an organization. They help manage data in a consistent and standardized way. A reference list has a name and description, and contains a list of reference items that provide allowed values for a particular field.

Example: You may have a 'Criticality' reference list that categorizes data assets as Critical, High, Medium, or Low criticality. The reference list name is 'Criticality' and the items are the 4 criticality values. Other common examples include:
  • Data type: Defines allowed data types such as Character, Date, Decimal, etc.
  • State codes: Provides a list of 2-letter state abbreviations such as AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, etc.
  • GDPR compliant: Allows values such as N/A, Yes, or No to track GDPR compliance.
  • Credit cards: Lists common credit card brands such as American Express, Discover, Mastercard, Visa, etc.
  • Column type: Specifies column data types such as boolean, date, string, decimal, blob, etc.
Note: Reference lists can only be created, edited or deleted by an administrator.

Create a reference list

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Governance > Reference Lists and click Create Reference List.
  2. In the Create Reference List dialog that appears, enter a Name for the new list, for example, 'Criticality'.
  3. Define the Display Format field that references the default {Code} field and holds the reference list items.
  4. Enter a Description, for example, "Defines the significance of an asset".
  5. Click Create Reference List to save the new list.

These menu options are available when you click the ellipsis next to a reference list name in the list view:
  • View Information: Opens the Information panel on the right.
  • Open: Opens the Details tab in the current tab in browser.
  • Open in New Tab: Opens the Details tab in a new tab in browser.

Edit or delete a reference list

To edit a reference list:

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Governance > Reference Lists.
  2. Click the ellipsis next to a reference list name and select Edit.
  3. An Edit Reference List dialog with existing reference list details will appear.
  4. Modify the details of the asset type as required and click Save.

To delete a reference list:

Warning: Ensure that you actually want to delete the reference list. A successful deletion cannot be undone.
  1. Navigate to Configuration > Governance > Reference Lists.
  2. Click the ellipsis next to a reference list name and select Delete.
  3. A Delete Reference List dialog with number of associated assets will appear.
  4. To confirm the deletion of the reference list, click Delete.

Add reference item to a reference list

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Governance > Reference Lists.
  2. Open the Information side panel for the reference list to which you want to add reference item(s).
  3. Select Items tab and click the '+' (Create Reference Item) button.
  4. In the Create Reference Item dialog, specify the field value for the new item. For example, 'Low', 'Medium' or 'High'.
  5. Click Create or Add and Create Another to create the item and add it to the list.

Reference list creation guidelines

  • When creating a reference list:
    • By default, the Display Format is set to Code.
    • A Code field of type text is automatically created.
  • When creating a reference list item for a reference list:
    • The Code is a required field.