## Manage custom metadata structures

URL: https://docs.atlan.com/product/capabilities/governance/custom-metadata/how-tos/manage-custom-metadata-structures

> :::warning Who can do this? You must be an admin user to manage custom metadata structures, including defining new ones.

:::warning Who can do this?
 You must be an admin user to manage custom metadata structures, including defining new ones.

:::

Before users or integrations can enrich assets with custom metadata, you must first define its structure.

## Create custom metadata structure

To create a new custom metadata structure:

1. In your Atlan workspace, click **Settings** from the left menu.

 If you are using the **Old UI (Classic)**, from the left menu, click **Admin**.

2. Under the _Metadata_ heading, click **Custom Metadata**.
3. Under the _Start adding custom metadata_ heading, click the **+** **Get started** to add a new structure:
 1. For _Name_ enter a name for the custom metadata structure. (In [our examples](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/custom-metadata/what-is-custom-metadata/llms.txt), this would be _IPR_ or _ETL_.)
 2. (Optional) To personalize your custom metadata, to the left of the name, click the image icon. From the upper right of the corresponding dialog:
 - Click **Icons** to add an icon to your custom metadata. Click the gray box to change the color of the icon to green, yellow, or red.
 - Click **Emoji** to add an emoji to your custom metadata.
 - Click **Upload Image** to upload an image for your custom metadata. The recommended size for image uploads is 24x24 pixels.
 3. (Optional) Add a description of the custom metadata below these.
 4. At the bottom right of the dialog, click the **Create** button.

## Create properties in the structure

To create custom metadata properties within a custom metadata structure:

1. In your Atlan workspace, click **Settings** from the left menu.

 If you are using the **Old UI (Classic)**, from the left menu, click **Admin**.

2. Under the _Metadata_ heading, click **Custom Metadata**.
3. Under the _Custom Metadata_ heading, select the custom metadata structure you want to change.
4. Click the **New property** button (no properties yet) or **Add property** button (to add more properties):
 1. For _Name_, enter a name for one property. (In [our examples](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/custom-metadata/what-is-custom-metadata/llms.txt), this would be one of _License type_, _Provider_, _Job link_, and so on.)
 2. For _Type_, select the type of value you expect users to use for this property:
 - The **Text** type allows free-form text values.
 - The **Integer** type allows only whole numbers (no decimals).
 - The **Decimal** type allows fractional numbers (those with decimal points).
 - The **Boolean** type allows only a `Yes` or a `No` value.
 - The **Date** type allows both date and time values in the following format - day, month, year, hours, minutes, and seconds.
 - The **Options** type allows you to [define your own set of predefined options](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/custom-metadata/add-options/llms.txt) for values that are valid.
 - The **Users** type allows only existing Atlan users as values.
 - The **Groups** type allows only existing Atlan groups as values.
 - The **URL** type allows only web links.
 - The **SQL** type allows only SQL code.
 3. (Optional) For _Description_, enter an explanation for how you expect users to use this property.
 4. If you chose _Options_ as the type, either:
 - Under _Select Options_, select an existing set of options to reuse.
 - Click the **Create New** link to create a new set of options.
 1. Under _Option name_, give the options a name.
 2. Under _Values_, enter the list of values considered valid (separated by `;`).
 5. (Optional) Under _Assets_, you can configure the connections and asset types on which this custom metadata should be visible to:
 1. For _Connections_, select the [connection](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/catalog/connector-capabilities/supported-sources/llms.txt) to which you want to limit users to be able to enrich assets with this property. For example, you may want a property to only apply to a specific Snowflake connection.
 2. For _Applicable asset types_, select the kinds of assets you want users to be able to enrich with this property. For example, you may want a property to only apply to SQL assets like tables and views, and not to BI assets.
 6. (Optional) Under _Business Graph assets_, you can configure the glossaries and glossary asset types on which this custom metadata should be visible to:
 1. For _Glossaries_, select the [glossaries](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/glossary/set-up-glossaries/llms.txt) to which you want to limit users to be able to enrich assets with this property.
 2. For _Applicable asset types_, select the [glossary assets](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/glossary/what-is-a-glossary/llms.txt) you want users to be able to enrich with this property. For example, you may want a property to only apply to terms within a glossary, and not to categories.
 7. (Optional) Under _Domain assets_, you can configure the data domains, subdomains, and products on which this custom metadata should be visible to:
 1. For _Domains_, select the [domains or subdomains](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/data-products/create-data-domains/llms.txt) to which you want to limit users to be able to enrich with this property.
 2. For _Applicable asset types_, select the [domains, subdomains](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/data-products/create-data-domains/llms.txt), or [products](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/data-products/create-data-products/llms.txt) you want users to be able to enrich with this property. For example, you may want a property to only apply to products within a specific subdomain, and not to the parent domain.
 8. (Optional) Under _Other assets_, for _Applicable asset types_, select assets that neither fall under the rubric of a connection or glossary - currently only [file assets](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/manage-assets/llms.txt) are supported.
 9. (Optional) Under _Configurations_ toggle any extra settings for the property:
 - _Allow multiple values_ controls whether users can enter more than a single value for this property. (Note: this is only available for some types.)
 - _Show in filter_ controls whether users can filter on this property when doing asset discovery.
 - _Show in overview_ controls whether the property will show up in the _Overview_ sidebar tab of assets. (All properties will show in the custom metadata's own tab, but those with this _Show in overview_ enabled will also show in the _Overview_ tab.)

That's it, your users can now [enrich assets with this custom metadata](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/catalog/discovery/add-custom-metadata/llms.txt)! 🎉

## Delete properties from a structure

:::warning

Deleting a custom metadata property will remove the values for that property from any assets.

:::

To delete custom metadata properties from a custom metadata structure:

1. In your Atlan workspace, click **Settings** from the left menu.

 If you are using the **Old UI (Classic)**, from the left menu, click **Admin**.

2. Under the _Metadata_ heading, click **Custom Metadata**.
3. Under the _Custom Metadata_ heading, select the custom metadata structure you want to change.
4. In the properties table on the right, click the delete icon on the far right of the row containing the property to delete the property.
5. When prompted for confirmation, click the **Confirm** button.

## Delete custom metadata structure

You can also delete an entire custom metadata structure.

:::warning

Deleting a custom metadata structure will remove all its properties and all its custom metadata values from any assets. You might want to consider [using personas to hide the custom metadata](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/access-control/create-a-persona/llms.txt), until you confirm it is no longer needed.

:::

To delete a custom metadata structure:

1. In your Atlan workspace, click **Settings** from the left menu.

 If you are using the **Old UI (Classic)**, from the left menu, click **Admin**.

2. Under the _Metadata_ heading, click **Custom Metadata**.
3. Under the _Custom Metadata_ heading, select the custom metadata structure you want to delete.
4. In the upper right of the custom metadata structure, click the red delete icon.
5. When prompted for confirmation, click the **Delete** button.

## View linked assets

Once users in your organization have [enriched their assets with custom metadata](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/catalog/discovery/add-custom-metadata/llms.txt), you will be able to view the linked assets right from the governance center.

To view assets with custom metadata:

1. In your Atlan workspace, click **Settings** from the left menu.

 If you are using the **Old UI (Classic)**, from the left menu, click **Admin**.

2. Under the _Metadata_ heading, click **Custom Metadata**.
3. Under the _Custom Metadata_ heading, click **Linked Assets** to view all the assets linked to the custom metadata.
4. (Optional) Click any asset to open the asset sidebar for more details.

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