Common Use Cases

Explore common scenarios and get inspiration for your reference data approach.

How to use this guide

This guide presents common real-world scenarios to inspire and guide your reference data approach. Each use case shows you a path from problem to solution.

How to approach this:

Review the scenarios below for inspiration and ideas.
Choose your learning path based on your experience level:
- New to reference data? Start with Quick Start, then follow the Get Started workflow.
- Ready for specific tasks? Jump to the relevant Work with Reference Data topics.
- Need advanced scenarios? Explore the Advanced Workflows.
Get additional guidance from Best Practices as needed.

New to reference data? Start with Quick Start to get hands-on experience, then return here to explore specific use cases.

I want to onboard reference data

Situation: Your reference data lives in Excel files, database tables, and different systems. Multiple versions exist and it’s unclear which is current or who owns it.

What you’ll learn about: Consolidated, governed reference data with clear ownership and automated distribution.

Learning path

Use case: Onboard Reference Data.
Get familiar: Start with Quick Start to get familiar with the platform quickly.
Get Started topics: Create Reference Data Tables > Set Up Access and Governance > Publish Your Data.

I want my team to access data independently

Situation: Business users constantly ask IT for reference data exports. You want to enable self-service access while maintaining control.

What you’ll learn about: Self-service data access with appropriate governance and audit trails.

Learning path

Use case: Govern Data Access.
Get Started workflow: Create Reference Data Tables > Set Up Access and Governance > Work with Published Reference Data.

I want to use reference data to improve data quality

Situation: Data quality rules fail because external reference data is incomplete or inconsistent. You need controlled, complete datasets for validation.

What you’ll learn about: Reliable data quality validation using well-maintained reference datasets.

Learning path

Use case: Explore Improve Data Quality.
Get Started: Create Reference Data Tables > Set Up Access and Governance.
Advanced Workflow: Create Validation Rules.

Next steps

Once you’ve explored these scenarios:

For step-by-step learning: Explore Advanced Workflows for complex scenarios.
For basic setup: Follow the Get Started section.
For daily operations: Use the Work with Reference Data section.
For general best practices: Review Best Practices.
If you encounter issues: Check Troubleshooting.

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