data-lineage-tracker

---
slug: "data-lineage-tracker"
display_name: "Data Lineage Tracker"
description: "Track data origin, transformations, and flow through construction systems. Essential for audit trails, compliance, and debugging data issues."
---

# Data Lineage Tracker for Construction

## Overview

Track the origin, transformations, and flow of construction data through systems. Provides audit trails for compliance, helps debug data issues, and ensures data governance.

## Business Case

Construction projects require data accountability:
- **Audit Compliance**: Know where every number came from
- **Issue Resolution**: Trace data problems to their source
- **Change Impact**: Understand what downstream systems are affected
- **Regulatory Requirements**: Maintain data provenance for legal/insurance

## Technical Implementation

```python
from dataclasses import dataclass, field
from typing import List, Dict, Any, Optional, Set
from datetime import datetime
from enum import Enum
import json
import hashlib
import uuid

class TransformationType(Enum):
    EXTRACT = "extract"
    TRANSFORM = "transform"
    LOAD = "load"
    AGGREGATE = "aggregate"
    JOIN = "join"
    FILTER = "filter"
    CALCULATE = "calculate"
    MANUAL_EDIT = "manual_edit"
    IMPORT = "import"
    EXPORT = "export"

@dataclass
class DataSource:
    id: str
    name: str
    system: str
    location: str
    owner: str
    created_at: datetime

@dataclass
class TransformationStep:
    id: str
    transformation_type: TransformationType
    description: str
    input_entities: List[str]
    output_entities: List[str]
    logic: str  # SQL, Python, or description
    performed_by: str  # user or system
    performed_at: datetime
    parameters: Dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)

@dataclass
class DataEntity:
    id: str
    name: str
    source_id: str
    entity_type: str  # table, file, field, record
    created_at: datetime
    version: int = 1
    checksum: Optional[str] = None
    parent_entities: List[str] = field(default_factory=list)
    metadata: Dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)

@dataclass
class LineageRecord:
    id: str
    entity_id: str
    transformation_id: str
    upstream_entities: List[str]
    downstream_entities: List[str]
    recorded_at: datetime

class ConstructionDataLineageTracker:
    """Track data lineage for construction data flows."""

    def __init__(self, project_id: str):
        self.project_id = project_id
        self.sources: Dict[str, DataSource] = {}
        self.entities: Dict[str, DataEntity] = {}
        self.transformations: Dict[str, TransformationStep] = {}
        self.lineage_records: List[LineageRecord] = []

    def register_source(self, name: str, system: str, location: str, owner: str) -> DataSource:
        """Register a new data source."""
        source = DataSource(
            id=f"SRC-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}",
            name=name,
            system=system,
            location=location,
            owner=owner,
            created_at=datetime.now()
        )
        self.sources[source.id] = source
        return source

    def register_entity(self, name: str, source_id: str, entity_type: str,
                       parent_entities: List[str] = None,
                       metadata: Dict = None) -> DataEntity:
        """Register a data entity (table, file, field)."""
        entity = DataEntity(
            id=f"ENT-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}",
            name=name,
            source_id=source_id,
            entity_type=entity_type,
            created_at=datetime.now(),
            parent_entities=parent_entities or [],
            metadata=metadata or {}
        )
        self.entities[entity.id] = entity
        return entity

    def calculate_checksum(self, data: Any) -> str:
        """Calculate checksum for data verification."""
        if isinstance(data, str):
            content = data
        else:
            content = json.dumps(data, sort_keys=True, default=str)
        return hashlib.sha256(content.encode()).hexdigest()[:16]

    def record_transformation(self,
                             transformation_type: TransformationType,
                             description: str,
                             input_entities: List[str],
                             output_entities: List[str],
                             logic: str,
                             performed_by: str,
                             parameters: Dict = None) -> TransformationStep:
        """Record a data transformation."""
        transformation = TransformationStep(
            id=f"TRF-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}",
            transformation_type=transformation_type,
            description=description,
            input_entities=input_entities,
            output_entities=output_entities,
            logic=logic,
            performed_by=performed_by,
            performed_at=datetime.now(),
            parameters=parameters or {}
        )
        self.transformations[transformation.id] = transformation

        # Create lineage records
        for output_id in output_entities:
            record = LineageRecord(
                id=f"LIN-{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}",
                entity_id=output_id,
                transformation_id=transformation.id,
                upstream_entities=input_entities,
                downstream_entities=[],
                recorded_at=datetime.now()
            )
            self.lineage_records.append(record)

            # Update downstream references for input entities
            for input_id in input_entities:
                for existing_record in self.lineage_records:
                    if existing_record.entity_id == input_id:
                        existing_record.downstream_entities.append(output_id)

        return transformation

    def trace_upstream(self, entity_id: str, depth: int = None) -> List[Dict]:
        """Trace all upstream sources of an entity."""
        visited = set()
        lineage = []

        def trace(eid: str, current_depth: int):
            if eid in visited:
                return
            if depth is not None and current_depth > depth:
                return

            visited.add(eid)

            entity = self.entities.get(eid)
            if not entity:
                return

            # Find transformations that produced this entity
            for record in self.lineage_records:
                if record.entity_id == eid:
                    transformation = self.transformations.get(record.transformation_id)
                    if transformation:
                        lineage.append({
                            'entity': entity.name,
                            'entity_id': eid,
                            'depth': current_depth,
                            'transformation': transformation.description,
                            'transformation_type': transformation.transformation_type.value,
                            'performed_at': transformation.performed_at.isoformat(),
                            'performed_by': transformation.performed_by,
                            'upstream': record.upstream_entities
                        })

                        for upstream_id in record.upstream_entities:
                            trace(upstream_id, current_depth + 1)

        trace(entity_id, 0)
        return sorted(lineage, key=lambda x: x['depth'])

    def trace_downstream(self, entity_id: str, depth: int = None) -> List[Dict]:
        """Trace all downstream dependencies of an entity."""
        visited = set()
        dependencies = []

        def trace(eid: str, current_depth: int):
            if eid in visited:
                return
            if depth is not None and current_depth > depth:
                return

            visited.add(eid)

            entity = self.entities.get(eid)
            if not entity:
                return

            # Find entities that use this entity
            for record in self.lineage_records:
                if eid in record.upstream_entities:
                    transformation = self.transformations.get(record.transformation_id)
                    if transformation:
                        dependencies.append({
                            'entity': self.entities[record.entity_id].name if record.entity_id in self.entities else record.entity_id,
                            'entity_id': record.entity_id,
                            'depth': current_depth,
                            'transformation': transformation.description,
                            'transformation_type': transformation.transformation_type.value
                        })

                        trace(record.entity_id, current_depth + 1)

        trace(entity_id, 0)
        return sorted(dependencies, key=lambda x: x['depth'])

    def get_entity_history(self, entity_id: str) -> List[Dict]:
        """Get complete history of changes to an entity."""
        history = []

        for record in self.lineage_records:
            if record.entity_id == entity_id:
                transformation = self.transformations.get(record.transformation_id)
                if transformation:
                    history.append({
                        'timestamp': transformation.performed_at.isoformat(),
                        'action': transformation.transformation_type.value,
                        'description': transformation.description,
                        'performed_by': transformation.performed_by,
                        'inputs': [
                            self.entities[eid].name if eid in self.entities else eid
                            for eid in record.upstream_entities
                        ]
             

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