## Glean sync

URL: https://docs.atlan.com/apps/connectors/knowledge-management/glean/faq/glean-sync

> Frequently asked questions about syncing Atlan glossary terms to Glean

Common questions about what the Glean connector syncs, how permissions work, and how incremental sync behaves.

#### What Atlan assets are synced to Glean?

Only **glossary terms** (`AtlasGlossaryTerm`) are synced. Columns, tables, schemas, databases, and other Atlan asset types aren't synced to Glean.

#### What is not synced to Glean?

The following aren't included in the sync:

- **Custom metadata attributes**: not included in the document or Answer payload.
- **Lineage**: not represented in Glean.
- **Term relationships** (synonyms, antonyms, translations): not mapped. `see_also` links are included as a custom property.
- **Term attachments** (file uploads): not synced.

#### Who can see synced terms in Glean?

Index documents are created with **unrestricted** permissions—all Glean users can discover and view synced terms. There isn't any per-term access control applied during sync.

#### Which glossary terms become Glean Answers?

When **Enable Curated Answers** is on, **all** synced terms become Answers regardless of glossary or certificate status. The answer scope is either `ALL` (visible to all users) or `NONE` (no answer).

#### How does incremental sync work?

The connector maintains a persistent state file keyed by datasource name. On each run it computes a SHA-256 content hash for each term from 8 fields: `name`, `description`, `glossary_name`, `categories`, `certificate_status`, `certificate_updated_by`, `readme_content`, and `see_also`. It then compares the hash to the previous run and takes the minimum required action:

- **New term**: creates a new Answer
- **Unchanged term** (hash match): no API call
- **Changed term with existing Answer**: updates the Answer in place
- **Changed term without Answer**: creates a new Answer
- **Term removed from Atlan**: deletes the Answer from Glean
- **`enable_answers` toggled off**: deletes all existing Answers

#### How are Glean Answers managed across runs?

The `answer_id` returned by Glean when creating an Answer is stored in the state file and reused on subsequent runs for edit and delete operations. If a delete fails (for example, if the Answer was already removed in Glean), the connector retries on the next run and clears the `answer_id` from state once the delete succeeds.

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## See also

* [What does Atlan sync to Glean?](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/connectors/glean/what-does-atlan-sync-to-glean/llms.txt): Field mappings for index documents and curated Answers
* [Sync glossary terms to Glean](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/connectors/glean/sync-glean/llms.txt): Configure and run the sync workflow

## Need help

If you can't find the answer you're looking for, contact Atlan support.

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