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TL;DR

Link knowledge files that carry relevant context to a data asset, so anyone opening it finds them and enrichment agents write from them.

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Link knowledge files to assets

You can link a knowledge file to the data assets it relates to. A table governed by a policy document, defined in a data contract, or explained in a runbook can point at that document directly. So can any other document that carries useful context about it.

Linking does two things:

  • Anyone opening the asset sees the documents that give it context, without searching for them.
  • The Description and README agents read those documents when they next enrich that asset.
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The second point is the one to plan around. Linking a file changes what enrichment writes about the asset. See How linked files affect enrichment.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • At least one knowledge file uploaded to a knowledge folder. See Create knowledge folder
  • Permission to update the asset you want to link to. If you can't edit the asset, you can see its linked files but not change them

There are two places to do this on an asset's profile. Both open the same picker and produce the same result.

From the details panel:

  1. Open the asset.
  2. In the right-hand details panel, find Knowledge files.
  3. Click the edit (pencil) icon.

From the Readme section:

  1. Open the asset.
  2. Below the Readme, click + in the resources row.
  3. Click Knowledge file.

Then, in the Link knowledge files picker:

  1. Search for the files that relate to this asset.
  2. Select one or more. The picker shows how many you have selected.
  3. Click Link files.

Linked files then appear both in the details panel and in the resources row under the Readme.

Open the picker again from either entry point and clear the file's checkbox, or use the remove control on the chip. Removing a link doesn't delete the knowledge file, and doesn't remove anything an agent already wrote from it.

See assets linked to knowledge file​

Linking works in both directions. To see everything a document has been linked to:

  1. Open the knowledge file as an asset.
  2. Select the Linked assets tab.

This is the quickest way to check the reach of a policy or standard before you change it.

How linked files affect enrichment​

When the Description or README agent next enriches an asset, it reads the knowledge files linked to that asset and writes from what they say.

This is scoped deliberately:

  • An agent reads only the files linked to the asset it's enriching. It doesn't search your whole knowledge library, so linking is how you decide which document applies where.
  • Agents write in their own words. They take the facts a document establishes and express them for the asset, rather than copying its wording, headings, or tables.
  • Existing values are never overwritten. Enrichment agents fill gaps only.
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Link any document that carries context relevant to the asset. That includes the obvious ones, such as the policy that governs it or the contract that defines it. It also includes anything that helps explain what the data means or how it's used, such as a runbook, a metric definition, or an onboarding guide. If a person arriving at the asset finds the document useful, an agent does too.

Need help​

If you need assistance after reviewing this page, contact Atlan support.

See also​