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What is “Structural Metadata”?

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We recommend you provide a data dictionary of structural metadata that includes the following information:

Metadata Field

Completion Guidance

Constraints

Mandatory?

Table Name 

Name of the table in the dataset. Use a fully qualified name if appropriate.

255 characters max

Yes

Table Description

Description of the table in the dataset.

20,000 characters max

No

Column Name

Name of the column in the table dataset

255 characters max

Yes

Column Description 

Description of the column in the table dataset.

20,000 characters max

No

Data Type Name

Type of data contained in the column.

255 characters max

Yes

Sensitive 

Please indicate (True / False) whether the information must be treated as sensitive and may need additional constraints / removal / anonymisation / masking through the data access request process.

True / False only.

Yes

Where can I see some

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examples of valid Structural Metadata?

Please see the following example for your reference.

If you require further clarification, we also have several fully populated submissions from other sites that we would be happy to walk through with you. Please contact us via Service Desk to arrange a session.

Structural Metadata Example

Table Name

Table Description

Column Name

Column Description

Data Type

Sensitive

Summary

The summary

Identifier

The identifier

String

TRUE

Summary

The summary

Title

The title

String

FALSE

Summary

The summary

Description

The description

String

TRUE

Required

The required elements

Release Date

The release date

Date

FALSE

Required

The required elements

Data Controller

The controller

String

FALSE

Required

The required elements

Data Processor

The data processor

String

TRUE

Required

The required elements

License

The license

String

FALSE

Recommended

The recommended elements

Periodicity

The periodicity

Integer

TRUE

Recommended

The recommended elements

Frequency

The frequency

String

FALSE

What format should this be in?

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Please see this template file, which is also available on the Onboarder:

View file
page
nameTechnical Structural_Metadata_Template.xlsxWhat is Structural Metadata?
spaceNSD

Is an Excel spreadsheet the only way I can upload metadata?

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View file
nameMDC dataModel_2.2 (2).xsdpageWhat is Structural Metadata?
spaceNSD
View file
nameHDRUK6482603468091225922.xml
pageWhat is Structural Metadata?
spaceNSD

2. We can also accept reports from a profiling tool called WhiteRabbit.
WhiteRabbit is a .jar (with a UI if you need) that you can point at a database and generate a profiling report from, which can then be used to create a detailed data dictionary.

Info

If you would like to know more about these options please raise a Service Desk ticket and we will be happy to arrange a call to walk through these with you.