Standards
Standards answers what a field means, which values it allows, how a metric is calculated and how data should be protected. GUNs provides shared registries for enterprise maintenance and domain collaboration under federated governance.
Five data standard registries
| Standard | Main content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Data elements | Standard definition, type, length and value range of a business attribute | Company Registration Number, Contact Number |
| Code tables | Controlled values, codes and meanings | Supplier Grade, Order Status |
| Business terms | Definitions and related vocabulary | Approved Supplier, Active Customer |
| Master data standards | Identifiers and required attributes for shared core entities | Supplier Master Data Standard |
| Metric standards | Definition, calculation, unit, dimensions and reporting period | Supplier On-Time Delivery Rate |
Stable codes identify standard records. Definitions and descriptions can evolve with business needs, while references and change history help users find the common basis for their work.
Data elements and code tables
Data elements define how a business attribute should be described and represented. Attributes with controlled values can reference a code table to align codes and meanings.
A Supplier Grade data element, for example, can reference a grade code table so that A, B and C mean the same thing across systems. Code table entries can also carry validity periods to distinguish when values apply.
Terms, master data and metrics
Business terms align language; master data standards align core entities shared across systems; metric standards align calculations used in reporting, analysis and performance measurement.
When two departments report different on-time delivery rates, they can compare the metric definition, numerator, denominator, reporting period and dimensions to identify the source of disagreement.
Classification and masking rules
| Security registry | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Data classification | Maintain shared categories, sensitivity levels and classification definitions |
| Masking rules | Describe protection methods for sensitive data and reference them during table and column governance |
Both registries are centrally maintained in either operating mode. Attaching a masking rule to a field expresses its protection requirements; access and data processing also require enforcement in the relevant systems.
Enterprise and domain standards
Centralized mode maintains the five registries at enterprise scope. Federated mode supports enterprise records and records belonging to one responsibility domain.
| Scope | When to use it | Maintained by |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Definitions shared by several teams and systems | Central governance teams |
| Domain | Definitions used within and owned by a domain | Its operating teams, with central maintenance across domains |
Scope views reflect the active mode and work identity. New records inherit the current view's scope; users who maintain several domains select the destination domain when creating a record.
Reference other standards
| Referring record | Allowed target scope |
|---|---|
| Enterprise | Enterprise |
| Domain | Enterprise or the same responsibility domain |
A supply chain data element can reference an enterprise code table or its own domain's code table. An enterprise data element uses an enterprise code table. Selection lists present applicable candidates to guide users.
Common relationships include data elements referencing code tables, master data standards referencing data elements, metrics linking to business terms, and parent or related-term relationships.
Change a standard's scope
Central governance users with the appropriate permission can use two scope adjustments:
| Action | When to use it | Check before moving |
|---|---|---|
| Promote to enterprise | A domain definition becomes a shared enterprise standard | Its dependencies must satisfy enterprise reference requirements |
| Move to domain | An enterprise definition becomes a domain responsibility | No enterprise or other-domain users may depend on it |
The record keeps its identity and code, so existing references do not need to be recreated. If an adjustment is blocked, the platform identifies the relationships that need attention.
Apply standards in governance work
In Projects, teams associate columns with data elements and terms, classify tables and columns, specify protection requirements and review conformance differences between actual data and standards.
In Datasets, contracts describe the delivered structure and business meaning, helping consumers understand how standards apply to a particular offering.
Application Architecture
Manage the enterprise application portfolio and understand how systems, modules, services and integrations support business capabilities and handle data.
Projects
Organize source connections, metadata collection, annotation and standards application, with AI assistance, progress views and activity history supporting ongoing governance.