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Data Dictionary tools / apps?

  • 1.  Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-15-2023 03:27 PM

    Is anyone using a data dictionary along side your next generation CRM?

    If so – is the dictionary being build/maintained with your application ecosystem or are you using a separate tool outside of your CRM?

     

    ____________________________________________________________________
    Christopher Amherst | Director, Data Management

    He/him

    The University of Chicago | Alumni Relations and Development

    5235 South Harper Court | Chicago, Illinois 60615

    Mobile: +1   2 4 0   4 1 2   7 9 2 9

    Office: + 1   7 7 3   8 3 4   1 0 7 2

    [This message and its contents are confidential. If you received this message in error, do not use or rely upon it. Instead, please inform the sender and then delete it. Thank you.]

      

     



  • 2.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-15-2023 03:34 PM
    We use GraphicQL inside Tableau to generate the meta.    Our university uses Datado but it's limited to the SQL sources. 

    Dave Woodley 
    Chief Data Officer
    Unlock * Share * Connect
    Office of Data Services
    University of Alaska Foundation
    907-786-1373
    make a gift! engage.alaska.edu
    Join us for Alaska: universityforalaska.com






  • 3.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-24-2023 10:54 AM

    Thanks, Dave – definitely will keep in mind GraphicQL on the Tableau side!

     

    ____________________________________________________________________
    Christopher Amherst | Director, Data Management

    He/him

    The University of Chicago | Alumni Relations and Development

    5235 South Harper Court | Chicago, Illinois 60615

    Mobile: +1   2 4 0   4 1 2   7 9 2 9

    Office: + 1   7 7 3   8 3 4   1 0 7 2

    [This message and its contents are confidential. If you received this message in error, do not use or rely upon it. Instead, please inform the sender and then delete it. Thank you.]

      

     




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-24-2023 11:04 AM
    Also, to be clear, GraphQL works for ANY data source published to Tableau, even if not used in a Tableau project.  

    https://www.prosvetova.com/blog/2021-01-11-tableau-data-dictionary-metadata

    Dave Woodley 
    Chief Data Officer
    Unlock * Share * Connect
    Office of Data Services
    University of Alaska Foundation
    907-786-1373
    make a gift! engage.alaska.edu
    Join us for Alaska: universityforalaska.com





    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-15-2023 03:42 PM
    Kennesaw State University is using Data Cookbook (https://www.datacookbook.com/product). This is an institution-wide initiative for documenting all platforms (SIS, etc.), not just the advancement CRM.

    Matt Bain

    Executive Director, Advancement Services

    Division of University Advancement

    Kennesaw State University

    470-578-7719







  • 6.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-24-2023 10:56 AM

    Thanks, Matt!  I've run across Data Cookbook a few times – so a good reminder.

     

    ____________________________________________________________________
    Christopher Amherst | Director, Data Management

    He/him

    The University of Chicago | Alumni Relations and Development

    5235 South Harper Court | Chicago, Illinois 60615

    Mobile: +1   2 4 0   4 1 2   7 9 2 9

    Office: + 1   7 7 3   8 3 4   1 0 7 2

    [This message and its contents are confidential. If you received this message in error, do not use or rely upon it. Instead, please inform the sender and then delete it. Thank you.]

      

     




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-16-2023 12:51 PM
    Maintaining a data dictionary in your CRM is certainly a good step forward, but it is ultimately limiting. The trend these days is towards automated data catalog solutions. If you have an integration platform, there might already be a tool there, eg Talend has the Talend Data Catalog. This is also a really common use-case for AI-powered tools, because AI is quite good at looking at DB schemas and metadata and understanding it. There are also some powerful open source tools like https://open-metadata.org/ to consider that can stretch beyond your CRM and help wrangle your other databases and applications, and the ETLs between them.




    Thank you,
    Isaac Shalev
    Data Strategy Expert
    Sage70, Inc.
    (917) 859-0151
    isaac@sage70.com

    Schedule a 30-minute consultation now:






  • 8.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-24-2023 11:08 AM

    Isaac,

     

    I'm acutely aware of automated data catalog solutions such as Data Cookbook, Collibra, Alation, etc


    However, in this use case –
    Our technology platform is Salesforce/UC Ascend (with a Mulesoft integration layer), connected to a data hub.


    Our need is a common data dictionary that our internal analytics teams and partners can leverage to understand what data is at their disposal.  From a scale perspective – having it on our CRM is where we are at.

     

    With thanks,

    Chris

     

     

     

    ____________________________________________________________________
    Christopher Amherst | Director, Data Management

    He/him

    The University of Chicago | Alumni Relations and Development

    5235 South Harper Court | Chicago, Illinois 60615

    Mobile: +1   2 4 0   4 1 2   7 9 2 9

    Office: + 1   7 7 3   8 3 4   1 0 7 2

    [This message and its contents are confidential. If you received this message in error, do not use or rely upon it. Instead, please inform the sender and then delete it. Thank you.]

      

     




    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 08-24-2023 11:49 AM
    Chris, understood. Some options that may suit you better are:


    I would also look at Elements.cloud, Spekit, and AbstraLinx


    Thank you,
    Isaac Shalev
    Data Strategy Expert
    Sage70, Inc.
    (917) 859-0151
    isaac@sage70.com

    Schedule a 30-minute consultation now:





    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Data Dictionary tools / apps?

    Posted 09-08-2023 12:00 PM

    Christopher, 

    We generally create data dictionaries and models using spreadsheets and it's a nice, flexible, low-tech solution that you can use for any system. I have a template as well as a how-to guide that I'm happy to share. Anyone can DM me and I'll forward to them in case it's helpful. 

    Taj



    ------------------------------
    Taj Carson
    Inciter
    taj@inciter.io
    ------------------------------



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