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Updating table columns

Tabular files include a columnar metadata tab in their data dictionary, allowing you to rename columns, modify their format, and add descriptions. Renaming columns and providing descriptions helps prevent ambiguity, making data more understandable and reducing confusion when working with multiple similar columns. These changes propagate across all projects referencing the dataset and persist even when the data is updated from an external source.

To update table columns information:

  1. On the project or dataset page, click Launch workspace and browse to the file in your project or dataset.

  2. In the About this file section, click the Edit button.

  3. In the window that opens, on the Column details tab, set the following:

    1. Apply schema: If you know of a table that is already in the application that has similar columns, type the name in the field. A search is automatically run and shows the name of the matching table, if one is found. Click Save to save the column descriptions automatically added from the table.

    2. Column name: Click the Rename column button next to the column name to change the name.

    3. Type: From the dropdown field select the type of field.

    4. Description: Add a description for the column.

    5. Click Save to save the changes.

Matching columns in tables

If your data contains a common, general type of information that the application recognizes, the application suggests related information that you can use to enhance your data and research. As data is processed, the application analyze the data type and format of each field in an attempt to match it to any known data types in the system. Matches are identified based on the content and format of the column rather than its name. When a potential match is discovered, it is indicated on the user interface and users can take action to add matched columns and related columns.

You can find the full up-to-date list of matches in the ddw/ontology-v0 dataset. Specifically, this query gives a full accounting of available matches.

To add matched columns to a table:

  1. On the project or dataset page, click Launch workspace and browse to a table in your project or dataset.

  2. Look at the column headers in the table to locate a Green Triangle green_arrow.png indicator.

  3. Click the arrow in the field and click the Match this column option.

  4. In the window that opens, you see a list of possible matching columns with an option to browse to the source of the column. Click the Add matched column button to add the column to the table. Once you do that, you are presented with a list of possible Related columns for the matched column that provides additional level of aggregation. Click the Add related column button to add any related columns.

    To rename the column name, click the Pencil pencil-icon.png icon.

    Note

    Note that if a new version of the original file is uploaded (with additional rows of data, or additional columns), the file will automatically be matched using the same algorithm.

  5. The matched and related columns are shown in the main table. Click the values of fields in these matched and related columns to view additional information about the fields.

  6. To utilize the added data effectively, use SQL to aggregate and join tables. For more details, see the Querying data documentation.

  7. To remove matched and related columns from the table, click the arrow in the field and click the Remove from table option.

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