# Business Glossary

Pentaho Data Catalog provides a single location for creating, organizing, curating, and identifying business glossary items, such as glossaries, categories, and terms, to help you navigate your vast data environment and access the right data efficiently. You can also use the business glossary as a tool with role-based access control to secure and separate valuable data and metadata, preventing it from reaching unintended audiences.

In Data Catalog, business terms are organized into a category and then into a glossary representing a hierarchy. Using the business glossaries, you can manage or browse the business glossaries for your data environment.

Your role and assigned permissions determine your interaction with the business glossaries. For example, users with the Business Steward role can create new glossaries. For information on roles and permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions).

## Tour the Business Glossary page

In Pentaho Data Catalog, the Business Glossary page provides a user-friendly interface for managing and viewing glossary items. Click **Glossary** in the left navigation menu, to open the Business Glossary page. This page is divided into two primary areas, [Navigation](https://github.com/pentaho/documentation/blob/main/PDC/10.2/Use/PDC%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Tour%20the%20Business%20Glossary%20\(Business%20glossary\)/PDC%20Business%20Glossary%20Navigation%20pane=GUID-259B5353-65FE-4F68-AF32-7CBEB1335CFD=1=en=.md) and [Content](broken://pages/12MLg0UBwpanMhlZqSSH) pane.

![Business Glossary Landing Page](/files/RXGU7rSSUtThk9QI5Nlj)

<table><thead><tr><th width="82.33331298828125">Item</th><th width="133.4444580078125">Name (Pane)</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Navigation</td><td><p>Shows the glossary, category, and term. Navigate the tree of business glossaries to find the one you want to explore on the canvas. In addition, click <strong>Actions</strong> (in area 1) to perform additional functions and features:</p><ul><li><strong>Add New Glossary</strong></li><li><strong>Add New Category</strong></li><li><strong>Add New Term</strong></li><li><strong>View Table</strong></li><li><strong>View Galaxy</strong></li><li><strong>Import</strong></li><li><strong>Export</strong></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Content</td><td>Gives information about the selected glossary item, where the details provided vary based on the selection. For example, if you select a glossary, category, or term, the metadata appears in the Content pane.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Business Glossary navigation pane

On the Navigation pane, you'll find a list of glossary items organized by glossary, category, and term hierarchy. Click a glossary, category, or term to access summary information, details, and associated rules for that glossary item or term on the page. Additionally, you can enter a keyword in the **Search** box to search for assets, such as a glossary, category, or term.

When you select a glossary item, the asset name is highlighted in the tree view, and the metadata of that asset is shown in the Content pane. You can view the name of the selected asset and the path in the banner. Additionally, select **Actions** to manage assets and import or export the business glossary. For more information, see the [**Manage Business Glossary**](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-business-glossary-administer-pdc.md) section in the [**Administer Pentaho Data Catalog**](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document. Additionally, you can choose **View Table** or **View Galaxy** to understand the business glossary hierarchy.

### Business Glossary content pane

You can view details about the selected glossary item in the Content pane, accessible through the associated tabs. The details shown depend on the type of resource selected. For example, if you select a glossary category or term, you can view the summary and custom properties applied to it.

![Business Glossary Content Pane](/files/K5Nx6FyRO9APyqaEhufA)

The following table identifies the key details available in the Content pane for a business glossary asset:

<table><thead><tr><th width="89">Item</th><th width="142.33331298828125">Name</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>Data banner</td><td>Displays the name, path, and type icon that identifies the business glossary asset, such as a glossary, category, or term. The name and type attributes identifying the resource are provided.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Actions menu</td><td><p>Click to view actions available for processing, saving, and copying the data, depending on the selected asset type. The actions you can take in the data content area are:</p><ul><li>Copy the application path (hierarchy)</li><li>Change to a Galaxy view of the data</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Data tabs</td><td><p>Click to view additional information about the business glossary asset:</p><ul><li><a href="#summary-tab">Summary</a></li><li><a href="#custom-properties-tab">Custom Properties </a></li><li><a href="#related-tab-only-for-a-term">Related</a></li><li><a href="#data-elements-tab-only-for-a-term">Data Elements</a></li><li><a href="#data-elements-tab-only-for-a-term">Data Identification</a></li><li><a href="#comment-tab">Comment</a></li><li><a href="#metadata-rules-tab-only-for-a-term">Metadata Rules</a></li><li><a href="#reference-data-tab-only-for-a-term">Reference Data</a></li><li><a href="#applications-tab-only-for-a-term">Applications</a></li><li><a href="#policies-tab-only-for-a-term">Policies</a></li><li>Business Intelligence</li><li><a href="#business-rules-tab-only-for-a-term">Business Rules</a></li><li>Data Collections</li></ul><p>To learn more about each tab, see <a href="/pages/oo0lvo50zo409IF99NRb#business-glossary-hierarchy-view">Business Glossary hierarchy view</a>.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

## Different views of Business Glossary

In Data Catalog, you can choose different views to understand the glossary items. On the Business Glossary page, the default view is the [hierarchical view](https://github.com/pentaho/documentation/blob/main/PDC/10.2/Use/PDC%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Different%20views%20of%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Business%20Glossary%20hierarchy%20view=GUID-2D587205-13CC-421F-8089-F6371DD1076C=3=en=.md). To switch to other views, in the Navigation pane, under **Actions**, choose **View Table** to view the business glossaries in a [tabular format](https://github.com/pentaho/documentation/blob/main/PDC/10.2/Use/PDC%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Different%20views%20of%20Business%20Glossary/PDC%20Business%20Glossary%20table%20view=GUID-955663A8-F962-446F-88E6-12F81186C361=1=en=.md) or choose **View Galaxy** to view them in a [spatial format](broken://pages/ygF0E8XRKXrxXzYotJKq).

### Business Glossary hierarchy view

On the Business Glossary page, the hierarchy view is selected by default. The Business Glossary hierarchy view lets users create and manage business glossaries visually and intuitively. This view is designed to help organizations define and maintain a common set of business terms and their associated definitions, ensuring clarity and consistency in data-related discussions.

Refer to the following options available on the Business Glossary page.

#### **Glossary name**

Name of the glossary, category, or term in Data Catalog. When you hover the mouse pointer over the glossary name, click the pencil icon to edit this name. Additionally, you can view the timestamp of the last update below the glossary item name.

#### **Actions**

A menu with the following options:

<table><thead><tr><th width="145.111083984375">Feature</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Copy Path</strong></td><td>Copies the link of the selected glossary to the clipboard.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>View Galaxy</strong></td><td>Takes you to the Galaxy view of the selected glossary. Here, you can see the organization of glossary terms and their related categories and glossaries. For more information. see <a href="/pages/liaSlgVGLcP9pllY4zFx">Galaxy view</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### **Summary tab**

Provides a summarized view of the chosen glossary item. In the **Summary** tab, you can view the following information.

**Note:** The information that is visible depends on the glossary item you have selected.

<table><thead><tr><th width="152.88885498046875">Feature</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Definition</strong></td><td>Definitions serve as the single and definitive reference for an organization. You can add or edit the definition of the glossary, category, or term. For example, you should define the purpose of the specified term for users.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Purpose</strong></td><td>Provides a brief description or explanation of a glossary's purpose or use case. The <strong>Purpose</strong> can help you to understand why the glossary was created, what it's intended for, and how it might be relevant. Additionally, you can also add or edit the purpose of the glossary, category, or term.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Abbreviation</strong> (only for a term)</td><td>Contains widely recognized or standardized abbreviations of the business glossary item. For example, for the Social Security Number business term, the abbreviation can be SSN.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Formula</strong> (only for a term)</td><td>Specifies the mathematical or logical formula used to calculate the value that the term represents. The <strong>Formula</strong> is particularly useful for terms that are quantifiable or derived through calculation.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Rating</strong></td><td>Highlights the popularity of the resource by providing an average of all the user ratings. A low rating highlights an issue with the resource, such as incomplete data.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Properties</strong></td><td><p>Displays <a href="/pages/3FE9zcu0WUoN3bk0ajJt#properties">built-in properties</a> of the glossary, category, or term. Built-in properties are system-defined metadata attributes that provide standardized information about governance, ownership, classification, and status.</p><p><strong>Mandatory built-in properties</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Sensitivity</strong>: Metadata attributes like <strong>High</strong>, <strong>Medium</strong>, and <strong>Low</strong>, that identify the sensitivity of the resource.</li><li><strong>Domain</strong>: The domain name to which the resource belongs.</li><li><strong>Status</strong>: The status of the glossary item, such as Accepted, Draft, Review, and Deprecated.</li><li><strong>Created By</strong>: The user who created the glossary item.</li><li><strong>Updated By</strong>: The user who updated the glossary item.</li><li><strong>Last Updated</strong>: A timestamp indicating when the glossary item was last updated.</li></ul><p><strong>Non-mandatory built-in properties</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Custodian</strong>: The user responsible for managing the glossary.</li><li><strong>Business Steward</strong>: The user responsible for any modifications to the asset.</li><li><strong>Critical Data Element</strong>: Denotes whether the data the term pertains to is critical.</li><li><strong>Classification</strong>: Defines the confidentiality level of the glossary item as Public, Private, or Company Confidential.</li><li><strong>Review Date</strong>: Specifies the date when the glossary item is last reviewed.</li><li><strong>Owner</strong>: Identifies the user responsible for maintaining the glossary item.</li></ul><p><strong>Note</strong>: For glossaries and policies, administrators can manage the visibility of selected built-in properties. For more information, see <a href="/spaces/cUaDtyTop3vo8cjqgjGk/pages/lfOnZ3hznJuuoFnG3weC#enable-or-disable-built-in-properties">Enable or disable built-in properties</a>.</p></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Tags</strong></td><td>Lists the tags linked to the resource. You can also click to start adding your own tags, which will assist in identifying the resource using specific keywords.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Style</strong></td><td><p>Displays the icon, title, and color associated with the glossary asset. With the business steward role, you can click the <strong>Edit</strong> (pencil) icon to select a different icon, update the title, and change the color. Then you can click <strong>Apply</strong>, the selected icon and color are updated immediately, and the updated title appears in the asset header and in the breadcrumb navigation. You can also choose <strong>Apply to all siblings</strong> to apply the same visual changes to all sibling assets at the same level.</p><p><br>▶️ Watch a guided walkthrough on <a href="https://assets.demos.hitachivantara.com/psl/d4h0ewc">editing icons, titles, and colors in the Style panel</a>.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>

#### **Custom Properties** tab

Lists the custom properties and values associated with the glossary. These properties appear as user-defined name-value pairs, providing a flexible way to enrich business terms with additional business context or operational details. For example, in the Regions term, custom properties such as Availability, HashTag, Inventory, and Validity offer meaningful metadata that may inform how and where the term is used. You can customize the displayed columns and apply filters to refine the list.

To manage custom properties, select **Manage properties** to open the **Custom Properties** page in the **Management** section. For more information, see [Manage custom properties](/pdc-admin/manage-custom-properties.md) in [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

#### **Related** tab (only for a term)

Lists the associated business terms of the chosen glossary term. It helps you understand the broader business context and semantic associations among terms, improving data discoverability and clarity. Relationship types such as **Synonym**, **Deprecated**, **In favor of**, **Has A**, **Is a type of A**, and **Related to** allow business stewards to define how terms are conceptually connected.

The **Related** tab provides details such as the business term name, owner, and respective glossary and category. You can customize the displayed columns and apply filters to refine the list. To get detailed information, click the item to view the business term in the Business Glossary page with focus activated. In addition, you can add existing business terms using the **Add Term** option. To learn more about managing business terms, see the [Manage business glossary](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-business-glossary-administer-pdc.md) section in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

#### **Data Elements** tab (only for a term)

Lists the associated data elements across various data sources for the selected glossary term. This association provides a direct connection between business-level terminology and the underlying technical metadata, helping you understand where and how a business term is implemented within enterprise data systems.

The **Data Elements** tab provides key details, including the data source, item name, item type, parent asset, status, and associated tags. You can customize the displayed columns and apply filters to refine the list. To view detailed information, click **View** next to an item to display the data element in the **Canvas** view with a highlighted focus. Additionally, you can add and remove associations between the available data elements and the selected term, provided you have the necessary permission. For information on roles and permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions).

#### **Data Identification** tab (only for a term)

Lists the dictionary and patterns with the business term in them to assign as an action duringthe Data Identification process for structured data and delimited files. Dictionaries are lists of accepted terms or reference values that help validate or profile data fields. At the same time, Data Patterns capture structural formats, such as regular expressions or character-based sequences, that describe how data appears. For more information, see the [Manage data identification methods](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-data-identification-methods.md) section in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

Associating dictionaries and patterns with a business term enhances the accuracy of data profiling, helps in identifying sensitive or critical data elements, and enables more precise matching during automated metadata enrichment processes. In the **Data Identification** tab, click **View** next to an item to access the schema of the dictionary and pattern, along with its associated rules. Additionally, you can modify the dictionary by clicking **Edit** without navigating through the **Data Operations** card.

#### **Comment** tab

The **Comment** tab is a collaborative feature that allows users to discuss and provide feedback on specific data assets within Data Catalog. You can add comments, share suggestions, or ask questions directly in the tab using the provided text box, which includes basic formatting options like bold, italic, and bullet points. In addition, you can tag other users by mentioning them with the "@" symbol followed by their username. Then the specific user, or users, are notified of the comment through email and in the Mentions tab on the Data Catalog landing page, prompting them to respond if necessary. For more information, see [Tour of the Home page](/pdc-use/ldc-quick-start-user-guide-cp.md#tour-of-the-home-page).

**Note:** In the Comment tab, you can:

* Tag users who have been configured in Data Catalog.
* Only delete the comments you posted.
* Delete any comment if you are an admin.

#### **Metadata Rules** tab (only for a term)

Lists any metadata rules associated with the selected glossary term. The Metadata Rules tab provides details such as the metadata rule name, associated data source, rule type, owner of the rule when the rule was last run, and schedule. You can sort the columns and view the rule definition. To view the rule definition, click **View** on the row for the metadata rule, where, with the Data Steward, Data Developer, or Admin role, you can modify the rule. You can run or delete the rule, or add an existing metadata rule if you have permission to do so. For information on permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions). For more information on metadata rules, see [Manage metadata rules](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-rules-cp-ag/pdc-manage-metadata-rules-cp.md) in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](/pdc-admin/readme.md) document.

#### **Reference Data** tab (only for a term)

Lists any reference data (datasets) associated with the selected glossary term that defines standardized values. This association ensures consistency across the organization by offering a governed list of acceptable values that the term represents and aligns the data usage with organizational standards. For example, a business term like “Regions” may be linked to a dataset that includes predefined region names such as “North America,” “Europe,” or “Asia-Pacific.”

The **Reference Data** tab provides details such as the category and name, status, and version of the dataset. You can sort the columns and add or remove associations between available datasets and the selected business term if you have permission to do so. For information on permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions). For more information on reference data, see [Manage reference data sets](/pdc-admin/manage-reference-data-sets.md) in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

#### **Applications** tab (only for a term)

Lists third-party or internal applications that are associated with the selected term. This association helps provide a broader enterprise context by showing where and how the business term is being used within applications, tools, or systems across the organization. The **Applications** tab provides key metadata, including the application name, parent folder or group, creation and update timestamps, and the assigned owner. You can sort and apply filters to refine the list. Additionally, you can also add and remove the associations between the selected term and third-party applications if you have permission to do so. For information on permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions). For more information on applications, see [Manage applications](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-applications-overview.md) in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

#### **Policies** tab (only for a term)

Lists the policies and standards associated with the selected glossary term. This association enables organizations to align business terminology with relevant compliance, governance, or operational policies, ensuring consistent data-handling practices across the enterprise. The **Policies** tab provides key details, such as the policy name, parent grouping (if applicable), and the assigned owner. You can sort and apply filters to refine the list. Additionally, you can add and remove the association between the selected term and policies and standards if you have permission to do so. For information on permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions). For more information on policies, see [Manage policies and standards](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-policies-and-standards-cp.md) in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

#### **Business Rules** tab (only for a term)

Lists the set of business rules associated with the selected glossary term. These rules represent domain-specific logic, data quality conditions, or compliance constraints that define how the business term should be interpreted, validated, or used across the organization. The Business Rules tab provides key metadata, including the rule name, type, creation date, author, and current status (Enabled or Disabled). You can sort and apply filters to refine the list. Additionally, you can add or remove the association between the selected term and existing business rules if you have permission to do so. For information on permissions, see [Default user roles and permissions](/pdc-use/pdc-user-roles-and-permissions.md#default-user-roles-and-permissions). For more information on business rules, see [Manage business rules](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-rules-cp-ag/pdc-manage-business-rules-cp.md) in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

### Business Glossary table view

On the Business Glossary page, in the Navigation pane, under **Actions**, selecting **View Table** displays the Business Glossary in tabbed sections, including Glossary, Category, Term, and All (regardless of asset types), presenting the complete hierarchy in a tabular format. The table organizes glossary assets into columns, such as Name, Type, Parent, Definition, Purpose, and others, making it easy to scan and compare metadata. This helps users, such as data stewards and business users managing large or complex glossaries, as it simplifies navigation, supports bulk operations (like editing or deleting), and enhances the overall visibility of the glossary structure.

The **Actions** menu in this view gives options to add new glossaries, categories, and terms, and to import and export glossary metadata. For more information, see the [Manage Business Glossary](/pdc-admin/pdc-manage-business-glossary-administer-pdc.md) section in the [Administer Pentaho Data Catalog](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdc-admin/) document.

### Business Glossary Galaxy view

In the Navigation pane, under **Actions**, selecting **View Galaxy** displays the business glossary in Galaxy view. The Galaxy view displays a distinct visual layout that facilitates the exploration of relationships and connections between assets. You can use the Galaxy view feature to view the structure of the data and its details quickly. This feature is especially useful when you want to view information that cannot be easily visualized using the navigation tree. When you open the business glossary in Galaxy view, you can view the relationships in the data from a bird's-eye view and drill down into the data for specific details. To learn more about the Galaxy view and its available features, see [Galaxy view](/pdc-use/pdc-galaxy-view.md).


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