Skip to main content

Source owner manager
App

The Source Owner Manager app automatically populates the Owners field on Atlan assets by leveraging each asset’s source-owner metadata from upstream systems (for example, Snowflake last_ddl_by, Tableau source_owner, or a generic source_owner). By automating owner assignment, it reduces manual stewardship effort and maintains accurate ownership for notifications, accountability, and governance workflows across Snowflake, Tableau, and other supported connectors.

Access​

The Source Owner Manager app isn't enabled by default. To use this app, contact Atlan support and request it be added to your tenant. Once enabled, glossary imports can be set up and run by admins or users with workflow permissions.

Workflow name​

Specifies a unique and descriptive name to identify the Source Owner Manager workflow in the Atlan interface and logs. This name appears in run cards and the workflow list, helping you distinguish it from other ownership-automation runs across environments and connections.

Example:

owner-sync-snowflake-sf-prod-tables-views

Select connector type​

Select the source system that provides the source-owner metadata for your assets; each workflow targets a single connector.

  • Snowflake: Choose when you want to use last_ddl_by to set owners; requires a Snowflake connection recently crawled with last_ddl_by captured.
  • Tableau: Choose when ownership lives in Tableau (source_owner); requires an active Tableau connection with crawler extracting it.
  • Generic: Choose for other connectors that expose a source_owner attribute; requires that the crawler populates it.

Snowflake​

For Snowflake, start by selecting an active, recently crawled Snowflake connection. Make sure it's up to date so the last_ddl_by attribute is available. Then choose the asset types (for example, tables or views) you want to update.

The app builds an email-to-username map across the tenant and uses it to assign owners:

  • It reads the last_ddl_by value from each asset and matches it to an Atlan user.
  • If a match is found, the user is added as an Owner using the method you select (Append, Replace, or Ignore).
  • If no last_ddl_by is found, or the email can't be matched to an Atlan user, that asset is skipped.
  • Assets with no current owners are always populated when a match exists.

Snowflake connection​

Choose the Snowflake connection to use (for example, sf-prod). The connection must be active and recently crawled so that the last_ddl_by attribute is available.

You also need the right permissions to run workflows and update owners on this connection. If you manage multiple environments (such as dev, test, and prod), run the workflow separately for each connection. Always test in a non-production connection before updating production.

Snowflake asset type​

Choose the asset types in Snowflake to update for ownership. Supported types are Database, Schema, Table, View, and MaterialisedView.

The workflow only scans the asset types you select. Assets are eligible only if they have a valid last_ddl_by value from the crawl.

Options explained:

  • Database: a top-level Snowflake database.
  • Schema: a namespace inside a database.
  • Table: a physical table containing data.
  • View: a logical view created from a query.
  • MaterialisedView: a view stored on disk for faster queries.

Tableau​

To update owners in Tableau, start by selecting an active Tableau connection. The connection must have correct credentials and permissions as described in the Tableau setup guide, and it must be recently crawled so that the source_owner attribute is available.

The workflow compares ownership between Tableau and Atlan:

  • It retrieves the Tableau user directory (username, full name, email) from the Tableau API.
  • It retrieves the Atlan user directory.
  • It reads each asset’s source_owner value, matches it to a Tableau user, and then resolves the user to Atlan by email.
  • If a match exists, the user is updated as an Owner according to your selected method (Append, Replace, or Ignore).
  • Assets without a source_owner, without a matching Atlan user, or where the user is already listed as an Owner are skipped.

Always run the workflow in Preview mode first to check the proposed owner assignments (atlan-owner-changes in the Argo workflow logs). Once validated, run Update to apply the changes.

Tableau connection​

Choose the Tableau connection to use (for example, tbl-prod). The connection must be active, correctly configured with permissions, and recently crawled so that the source_owner attribute is present. The workflow environment also needs network access to Tableau Server or Tableau Online to retrieve the user directory.

Run one connection per workflow. Start with Preview to validate mappings before applying changes in production.

Tableau asset types​

Choose the Tableau asset types to include. Supported types are:

  • TableauDatasource: Published data sources.
  • TableauFlow: Tableau Prep flows.
  • TableauProject: Project containers.
  • TableauWorkbook: Workbooks and dashboards.

Only assets with a populated source_owner and a matching Atlan user are updated. The workflow only processes the types you select; it doesn't automatically include related types.

Generic​

For any connector other than Snowflake or Tableau, select the connection where the crawler captures the source_owner attribute. The connection must be active and recently crawled so that the source_owner values are available.

The workflow updates owners by:

  • Reading the source_owner value on each asset.
  • Matching the email to an Atlan user.
  • Updating Owners based on the method you choose (Append, Replace, or Ignore).

Assets without a source_owner, or where the email doesn't match an Atlan user, are skipped. Assets with no current owners are populated if a match exists.

Always run the workflow in Preview mode first to download the atlan-owner-changes file from the Argo workflow logs. Once validated, run Update to apply changes.

Generic connection​

Select the connection to update (any supported connector other than Snowflake or Tableau). The workflow applies to all eligible assets under this connection where source_owner is present.

Refer to the connector-specific crawling documentation to confirm that source_owner is captured (for example, Power BI: Datasets, Dataflows, Reports). Run one connection per workflow and prefer starting with Preview before applying updates in production.

Owner output option​

Choose how results are produced for this run.

  • Update: Applies owner changes in Atlan for the selected assets and connection. Changes are applied according to your Owner Update Method (Append, Replace, or Ignore). Updates run only when a source-owner value is present and maps to an existing Atlan user; assets without a value or match are skipped. All actions are recorded in the workflow logs.

  • Preview: Doesn't modify Atlan. Generates an atlan-owner-changes file that lists the proposed updates (asset, current owners, proposed owners, and the action based on your update method). Download the file from the Argo workflow logs.

Owner update method​

Choose how owner updates are applied when an asset already has owners.

  • Append: Adds the mapped user (from the source-owner attribute) to the existing Owners list (no duplicates).
  • Replace: Replaces all existing Owners with the mapped user from the source-owner attribute.
  • Ignore: Leaves existing Owners unchanged; only assets with no owners are updated.

Owner updates run only when the asset has a source-owner value that resolves to an existing Atlan user, otherwise, the asset is skipped. If an asset has no current owners, the matched user is always added regardless of the method.

See also​