Asset properties

Core properties

All assets have five core properties. These properties are specified in a YAML configuration, except for data transformations which are expressed with a SQL query.

Asset types

There are three types of assets: source assets, dbt model assets, and exposures. All assets can be defined via UI or in code as showcased below.

Define a new asset.

Source assets

Models / dbt assets

dbt model assets are used to define data transformations that modify the imported data in some way. This could be done by applying filters, aggregations, or other types of manipulations on the source data. The transformed results are then persisted in a database and can be used for further transformation or analysis.

While all other assset configurations are defined in .yml files, modeling logic definitions are exceptions to the rule - they are stored in .sql files.

Exposure assets

Exposures are data assets that reference to a downstream use of your project's data. This could encompass a dashboard, an application, a Python notebook, or a data science project. An exposure groups all relevant upstream assets together to define the data required for external use. By employing exposures, you can:

Group multiple assets together to assess whether all upstream dependencies have been refreshed for a specific exposure and effortlessly refresh the data if needed.

Provide additional context to external data consumers in the exposure data catalog pages.

Asset description

Edit an asset's description either directly in the code using markdown or through the markdown editor.

Edit the asset description using markdown

This action updates the .yml file, specifically the description property.

Asset labels

In the platform, users have the flexibility to categorize their assets using specific labels to streamline management and monitoring. These labels help in quickly identifying the current state of an asset. The available labels to classify an asset are:

• No Status: The asset is newly created or its status has not been determined yet.
• Issue: This label indicates that the asset is currently facing problems or irregularities that need attention.
• Draft: The asset is in a preliminary stage and may be subject to further modifications.
• Deprecated : This label is applied to an asset that is no longer recommended for use, generally because it has been replaced by a newer version or functionality.
• Verified : This signifies that the asset has been reviewed and confirmed to be functioning as expected.

You can easily apply these labels to keep track of asset statuses and facilitate smoother workflow processes.

The asset label classification.

Asset tiers

In order to prioritize and manage your assets more effectively, you can designate different Tier levels to them. These tiers help in distinguishing the criticality and importance of each asset, aiding in efficient resource allocation and focus. The tier levels are as follows:

• Tier 1 - Critical: Assets that are vital and form the backbone of the operation. Any disruption to these assets can have significant repercussions.
• Tier 2 - Important: Assets that have a high value and contribute considerably to the overall function, but are not as critical as Tier 1 assets.
• Tier 3 - Regular: These are the assets that perform standard functions and are necessary for routine operations but are not in the high priority bracket.
• Tier 4 - No Tier: Assets that are currently not categorized or do not fall under any critical functionality or importance bracket.

The asset tier classification.