# Dataset annotation reference

This page serves as a comprehensive reference for all dataset annotations available in Fides. Dataset annotations are defined in YAML and help describe your data architecture for privacy request processing.

## Dataset properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#dataset-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| fides_key | string | Yes | A unique identifier for the dataset |
| organization_fides_key | string | No | The Fides key of the organization that owns the dataset |
| name | string | No | A human-readable name for the dataset |
| description | string | No | A description of what the dataset represents |
| data_categories | sequence | No | Array of FidesLang data categories that apply to this dataset |
| collections | sequence | Yes | Array of collections/tables within the dataset |
| tags | sequence | No | Array of tags for the dataset |
| property_ids | sequence | No | Array of property IDs that this dataset is associated with. When set, this dataset is only included in privacy requests that specify a matching `property_id`. Datasets with no property IDs are treated as universal and included in all requests. See [properties](/content/docs/platform/configuration/properties/index.html) for details. |
| fides_meta | YAML collection | No | Additional metadata about the dataset |

```
- fides_key: {{fides_key}}
  organization_fides_key: {{organization_fides_key}}
  tags: {{tags}}
  name: {{dataset_name}}
  description: {{dataset_description}}
  data_categories:
    - {{data_category}}
      {{data_category}}
  fides_meta: ...
```

### Dataset fides_meta properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#dataset-fides_meta-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| resource_id | string | No | The resource ID of the dataset |
| after | sequence | No | A list of collections that should be processed before this dataset |
| namespace | YAML collection | No | Namespace configuration for the dataset |
| namespace.connection_type | string | No | Integration type for the namespace (e.g. "bigquery", "postgres", "snowflake", "rds_postgres", "google_cloud_sql_postgres") |
| namespace.dataset_id | string | No | Dataset identifier (BigQuery) |
| namespace.project_id | string | No | Project identifier (BigQuery) |
| namespace.database_name | string | No | Database name (PostgreSQL, Snowflake, RDS PostgreSQL, Google Cloud SQL PostgreSQL) |
| namespace.schema | string | No | Schema name (PostgreSQL, Snowflake, RDS PostgreSQL, Google Cloud SQL PostgreSQL) |
| namespace.database_instance_name | string | No | RDS instance identifier (RDS PostgreSQL) |

```
fides_meta:
  resource_id: {{resource_id}}
  after:
    - {{collection_id}}
  namespace:
    connection_type: {{connection_type}}
    # ... fields depend on connection type, see examples below
```

Namespace fields vary by connection type:

```
# BigQuery
namespace:
  connection_type: bigquery
  dataset_id: {{dataset_id}}
  project_id: {{project_id}}

# PostgreSQL
namespace:
  connection_type: postgres
  database_name: {{database_name}}
  schema: {{schema}}

# Google Cloud SQL PostgreSQL
namespace:
  connection_type: google_cloud_sql_postgres
  database_name: {{database_name}}
  schema: {{schema}}

# Snowflake
namespace:
  connection_type: snowflake
  database_name: {{database_name}}
  schema: {{schema}}

# RDS PostgreSQL
namespace:
  connection_type: rds_postgres
  database_instance_name: {{database_instance_name}}
  database_name: {{database_name}}
  schema: {{schema}}
```

## Collection properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#collection-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| name | string | Yes | Name of the collection/table |
| description | string | No | Description of the collection's purpose |
| data_categories | sequence | No | Array of FidesLang data categories that apply to this collection |
| fields | sequence | Yes | Array of fields within the collection |
| fides_meta | YAML collection | No | Additional metadata about the collection |

```
collections:
  - name: {{collection_name}}
    description: {{collection_description}}
    data_categories:
      - {{data_category}}
        {{data_category}}
    fields: ...
    fides_meta: ...
```

### Collection fides_meta properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#collection-fides_meta-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| skip_processing | boolean | No | If true, this collection will be skipped during privacy request processing |
| after | sequence | No | A list of collections that should be processed before this collection |
| erase_after | sequence | No | A list of collections that should process erasures before this collection |
| masking_strategy_override | YAML collection | No | The masking strategy to use for the collection |
| masking_strategy_override.strategy | string | No | The masking strategy to use for the collection. Valid values are "delete" or "mask" |
| partitioning | YAML collection | No | The partitioning strategy to use for the collection |
| partitioning.where_clauses | sequence | No | A list of where clauses to use for the collection |

```
fides_meta:
  skip_processing: true|false
  after:
    - {{collection_id}}
      {{collection_id}}
  erase_after:
    - {{collection_id}}
      {{collection_id}}
  masking_strategy_override:
    strategy: mask|delete
  partitioning:
    where_clauses:
      - {{where_clause}}
```

## Field properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#field-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| name | string | Yes | Name of the field |
| description | string | No | Description of the field's contents |
| data_categories | sequence | No | FidesLang data categories that apply to this field |
| fides_meta | YAML collection | No | Additional metadata used by Fides for privacy operations |
| fields | sequence | No | For JSON datasets, nested data are represented as fields of fields |

```
fields:
  - name: {{field_name}}
    description: {{field_description}}
    data_categories:
      - {{data_category}}
        {{data_category}}
    fields: ...
```

### Field references properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#field-references-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| dataset | string | Yes | The name of the dataset that contains the referenced collection-field relationship |
| field | string | Yes | The name of the field in the referenced collection/table |
| direction | string | No | The direction of the relationship (e.g. "to", "from") |

```
references:
  - dataset: {{dataset_id}}
    field: {{collection_id}}.{{field_id}}
    direction: {{direction}}
```

### Field fides_meta properties [Permalink for this section](/content/docs/integrations/reference/dataset-annotation-reference#field-fides_meta-properties/index.html)

| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| identity | string | At least 1 per privacy request pipeline | Specify the field that should be used as the identity key |
| references | sequence | No | References to other fields for joins |
| primary_key | boolean | No | If true, indicates this field is a primary key |
| data_type | string | No | The data type of the field (e.g. "string", "integer") |
| length | integer | No | Maximum length for string/text fields |
| read_only | boolean | No | If true, field cannot be modified |
| return_all_elements | boolean | No | If true, field will return all elements in a collection |
| custom_request_field | string | No | The custom field in a privacy request used to associate with this field |
| automated_processing | boolean | No | If true, field is used in automated decision making |

```
fides_meta:
  identity: {{field_name}}
  references: ...
  primary_key: true|false
  data_type: {{data_type}}
  length: {{length}}
  read_only: true|false
  return_all_elements: true|false
  custom_request_field: {{custom_request_field}}
  automated_processing: true|false
```