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Import glossary from CSV File
App

You can bulk import or update glossaries, categories, and terms in Atlan using a CSV file. This makes it easy to seed new glossaries, enrich existing ones, or apply large-scale corrections without manual entry.

This guide shows you how to set up and run a workflow to import glossaries from a CSV file.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • Access to the Asset Import app. If you don't have access, contact Atlan support or your Atlan customer team to request it.
  • Permissions in Atlan to run workflows and edit glossary objects.
  • A CSV file that follows the Glossary CSV format.
  • An exported backup of your glossary metadata (recommended) in case you need to roll back. You can export existing glossaries using Asset Export or the glossary export functionality.

Setup workflow​

  1. In your Atlan workspace, go to the homepage and click New workflow in the top navigation bar.

  2. Search for Asset Import, and then select Set up workflow.

  3. In the Workflow name field, enter a descriptive name such as:

    Finance Glossary Import — Q3 update

  4. In the Import metadata from section, select Direct file uploads, this enables you to upload a CSV directly from your local machine (limit ~10 MB).

    If you want to handle larger or recurring imports, you can instead use Object storage (S3, GCS, or ADLS).

  5. In the Glossaries file field, click Upload to add your CSV file. Make sure the CSV contains rows for glossaries, categories, or terms, along with attributes such as name, anchor, parent category, owners, and tags.

    You can use this sample CSV as a reference. For complete details, see the Glossaries CSV file reference.

  6. In the Input handling section, select Create and update. This option creates new glossaries, categories, and terms from the CSV and also updates any that already exist in Atlan.

  7. In the Options section, select Default, which ignores blank fields, fails on invalid values, and is recommended for most glossary imports. For details on using Advanced, see the Glossaries options reference.

  8. Click Next through the remaining screens, then select Run to start the workflow. After the import completes, review the workflow logs and verify a few glossary items in Atlan to confirm that categories, terms, and tags were applied as expected.

    This ensures the glossary is updated consistently and any new terms or categories from the CSV are created in Atlan.

Need help?​

If you run into issues while importing glossaries, contact Atlan support for assistance.

See also​