# Confidence Scores

When the Fides LLM classifier tags a field with a data category, it also returns a **confidence rating** — a 1–5 integer reflecting how certain it is about the predicted classification. These ratings are grouped into **confidence buckets** (High, Medium, Low, or Manual) that surface in the Action Center and Schema Explorer to help you prioritize your review.

## How confidence ratings are assigned [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/confidence-scores#how-confidence-ratings-are-assigned/index.html)

The LLM evaluates each field using the full schema context — including table name, column names, and data types — and assigns a rating based on the following rubric:

| Rating | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **5** | Definitive classification. Only trivial uncertainty about the correct data category. |
| **4** | Small uncertainty. Most privacy experts would agree with the classification. |
| **3** | Multiple reasonable classifications apply; difficult to choose between them. |
| **2** | Significant uncertainty due to schema ambiguity or overlapping taxonomy categories. |
| **1** | Extremely speculative. |

Regex-based classifications always receive a rating of **5**, as they are deterministic matches. When the LLM cannot confidently classify a field, it defaults to `system.operations` with no confidence rating, which places the field in the **Low** bucket.

## Confidence buckets [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/confidence-scores#confidence-buckets/index.html)

Ratings are grouped into four buckets for display and filtering:

| Bucket | Condition | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **High** | Rating > 4 | The classifier is highly certain. These fields are strong candidates for bulk approval. |
| **Medium** | Rating = 4 | Reasonable certainty, but worth a quick review before approving. |
| **Low** | Rating < 4 (or no rating) | The classifier is uncertain. These fields require careful manual review. |
| **Manual** | User-assigned | A data category was manually set by a user, regardless of the classifier's rating. |

## What influences confidence [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/confidence-scores#what-influences-confidence/index.html)

Several factors affect the rating the LLM assigns to a given field:

- **Schema context**: The LLM receives the full table and column structure, not just the individual field name. This additional context improves accuracy and confidence on ambiguous fields — for example, a column named `id` in a table named `payments` is more clearly identifiable than one in a generic `records` table.

- **Taxonomy specificity**: Fields that map unambiguously to a well-defined data category tend to receive higher ratings. Categories with overlapping definitions or broad descriptions produce more uncertainty.

- **Custom taxonomy instructions**: Providing additional tagging guidance via `classify_params` — including per-category `tagging_instructions`, overrides, or removals — can sharpen what the LLM considers a strong match and improve confidence on domain-specific schemas.

## Using confidence scores in your workflow [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/confidence-scores#using-confidence-scores-in-your-workflow/index.html)

Confidence buckets are surfaced in two places in the Fides UI:

- **Action Center**: Summary cards display the number of fields at each confidence level per monitor, giving you an at-a-glance view of where review effort is needed.
- **Schema Explorer**: Filter fields by confidence bucket to focus on specific tiers — for example, filtering to **High** to bulk-approve reliable classifications, or **Low** to identify fields that need the most attention.

For a step-by-step workflow using confidence scores to accelerate classification review, see the [Helios tutorial](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/helios/index.html).

[LLM Classification](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/llm-classification "LLM Classification"/index.html) [Asset Report](/content/docs/data-mapping/guides/asset-report "Asset Report"/index.html)