---
id: dwd_2agj6wti
type: term
slug: data-lineage
title: "Data lineage"
summary: "The record of where data comes from, how it is transformed, and where it goes."
status: draft
classification: public
authors:
  - name: Shan Umasankar
    url: https://dealwithdata.com
    role: author
assisted_by: [Claude]
scales: [personal, business, enterprise]
synonyms: ["lineage"]
broader: [dwd_gubdecks]
related: [dwd_wg5zzqg2, dwd_cb2bgvae]
created: 2026-10-07
updated: 2026-10-07
version: 1
---
Lineage traces data from its origin through every transformation to every consumer. *Upstream* lineage explains where a number came from; *downstream* lineage shows what breaks if it changes. OpenLineage is the open standard for emitting it from pipelines at run time.

**Example:** core banking system → nightly batch job → `LOAN_DTL.OUTSTANDING_BAL_AMT` → exposure report.