Data Lineage

Definition:

Information about the movement and transformation of data from a point of origin to its final destination.

Commentary:

Data elements may have multiple sources and end consumers. Data lineage describes the chronology of ownership, custody and location of data. Data lineage provides a visual mapping of the movement and changes in data from system to system. The goal is to ensure that the data consumed is equivalent to the data delivered. Data lineage provides a mapping of data for use in impact analysis and operational risk integrity. The complete lineage will document the full data flow and capture metadata about the movement and transformation of the data element. Lineage may include a mapping of the data controls. Data lineage is commonly confused with data traceability and data provenance and should be understood in relationship to one another.