Assign a semantic type to a field - Precisely Data Integrity Suite

Data Integrity Suite
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Spatial_Analytics
Data_Integration
Data_Enrichment
Data_Governance
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Data_Observability
Data_Quality
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Spatial Analytics
Data Integration
Data Enrichment
Data Governance
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Data Observability
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Data Integrity Suite
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2000
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2026

You can manually assign a semantic type to a field when automatic semantic type detection has not run or when you want to assign a specific semantic type that differs from the detected value. Manual assignment allows you to override the default semantic type and ensures the assigned type is used for rule detection and data quality analysis.

Semantic type states: A field can have one of the following semantic type states:

  • Not detected: No semantic type has been assigned to the field. This is the initial state before automatic detection runs or before you manually assign a type.
  • Detected type: A semantic type has been automatically detected and assigned to the field.
  • Manually assigned type with Overridden badge: A semantic type has been manually assigned, overriding any automatic detection. The system displays an 'Overridden' badge to indicate manual assignment.

Entry points: You can manually assign a semantic type to a field from multiple locations:

  • Details tab: In the field details page, go to the Details tab and locate the Semantic Type field in the Summary section.
  • Profile tab: In the field details page, go to the Profile tab and locate the Semantic Type field in the Summary section.
  • Side panel: In the Fields tab of the Catalog, select a field to open the side panel and locate the Semantic Type field.

To manually assign a semantic type to a field:

  1. Go to Catalog > Fields.
  2. Click the field name to open the field details page.
  3. Go to the Details or Profile tab.
  4. In the Summary section, locate the Semantic Type field and click the edit icon next to it.
  5. In the Update Semantic Type dialog, you will see the following options:
    • Detect Semantic Type: Runs automatic semantic type detection and updates the assignment. This option is useful if you want to re-run the detection process. This option may be disabled if automatic semantic type detection is not available for the datasource.
      Note: If automatic detection is not available for a field, the Detect Semantic Type option will be disabled in the Update Semantic Type dialog. In this case, you can only manually assign a semantic type.
    • Create New Semantic Type from Profile: Creates a new custom semantic type with values derived from the asset's profile data. The creation form is pre-populated with name, qualifier, data regex, header regex, base type, priority, and threshold. You can edit all fields before saving and choose between regex-based or list-based matching. For more information, see Create semantic types from profile.
    • Manually Assign Semantic Type: Allows you to select a different semantic type from the available list. This option disables automatic semantic type detection for this field.
  6. Select Manually Assign Semantic Type to assign or override the current assignment.
  7. From the dropdown list, search for and select the new semantic type you want to assign. You can type to filter the available semantic types by name or qualifier (for example, 'Email Address'). The list displays the following information for each semantic type:
    • Semantic Type Name: The name of the semantic type.
    • Qualifier: The standardized code or identifier for the semantic type.
    • Priority: The priority level used for detection matching.
    • Base Type: The data type (for example, String, Integer).
    • Source: Whether the semantic type is built-in or custom.
  8. Select the semantic type you want to assign by clicking the radio button next to it.
  9. Click Assign Semantic Type to confirm the assignment.
    Note: After the semantic type is manually assigned, it will not be detected and changed when data is cataloged.

The semantic type is now manually assigned to the field. The system displays a confirmation message indicating that the assignment is complete. The field details page shows the assigned semantic type with an Overridden badge. The manually assigned semantic type will be used for rule detection and data quality scoring, and automatic semantic type detection will not override this manual assignment.

You can track all changes to the semantic type assignment by going to the Change History tab on the field details page. This shows who made the change, what was changed, and when the change occurred.

Update or remove an existing semantic type

You can update an existing semantic type assignment when you need to change the semantic type that was previously assigned to a field, either automatically or manually. Updating the semantic type allows you to correct misidentified types or assign a more appropriate type.

To update an existing semantic type assignment:

  • Follow the same steps as described in the initial assignment section above.
  • When you select a new semantic type and click Assign Semantic Type, the new semantic type will replace the existing assignment.
  • The field details page will display the updated semantic type with an Overridden badge.

To remove a semantic type assignment and reset the field to the "Not detected" state:

  1. Click the edit icon next to the Semantic Type field in the Summary section.
  2. In the Update Semantic Type dialog, select Clear Semantic Type Assignment.
  3. Click Clear to confirm the removal.

The semantic type assignment is now removed. The field returns to the "Not detected" state, and automatic semantic type detection can run again on the next cataloging operation.