Introducing Dataset Archiving

What’s New

Dataset archiving is a new way to track changes to a dataset on our platform. With dataset archiving enabled, users will be able to see a complete history of changes for a given dataset. Users with the necessary permissions will be able to revert a dataset back to a previous version, export a previous version of a dataset to a CSV, and even hide versions of a dataset.

Enrolling a dataset in dataset archiving is limited to users with the Enroll Datasets in Archival domain right, and to Administrators by default. You can learn more about user rights and roles here. Eligible datasets are limited to tabular data, meaning File and Document type assets and External Link datasets cannot be enrolled.

Enrolling a Dataset

Users with a role that has the Enroll Datasets in Archival right can enroll datasets in archiving on a dataset-by-dataset basis.

Finding the Dataset Changelog

At the bottom of the primer page of a dataset, you will see an Enroll Now button in the “Dataset Changelog” section. Clicking this button will enroll this dataset in dataset archiving. Anytime this dataset is updated, it will be reflected in the Dataset Changelog.

Interacting With The Changelog

Users will have different levels of interaction with the Dataset Changelog based on their permissions. Users with the domain right Enroll Datasets in Archival will be able to enroll and unenroll a dataset in archiving.

Selecting a draft will reveal more information on a given version of the dataset, and users who are able to edit the dataset will have the ability to interact with the Changelog from the primer page. For any changes made to the data or schema of a dataset, a user with the Enroll Datasets in Archival right is able to restore to a previous version or export that archive to a CSV. Any changes made to the metadata of a dataset can be restored to a previous version; however, these metadata changes will not be exported.

Users with the domain right "Enroll datasets in archival" will be able to hide and unhide individual versions in the changelog. When a version is hidden, it is only visible to users who have access to that dataset, and have the domain right enabled.

Users who do not have permission to edit the dataset will be able to see the Changelog on the primer page of a dataset. These users will be able to export an archived version of the dataset, but they will not have the ability to restore it to a previous version.

Downloading an archival version

To download an archival version, select the Export Archive button. This kicks off a platform process that will generate the archival version so that it can be downloaded.

If the version has already been generated before, a green download button will display and can be selected to initiate the download.

Change to Publishing Workflow

To complement dataset archiving, the ability to make notes on any given revision has been added as part of the publishing process. These notes will be displayed in the draft within the Changelog on the primer page.

Finding datasets enrolled in Archiving

From a domain's Asset List, Administrators will be able to use the "Enrolled in Archival" filter option to get a list of datasets that are enrolled in Dataset Archiving. 

If you have any questions about the content of this article, please reach out to our Support Team at datainsights-support@tylertech.com.