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For more information on QuickSight's new look, see Introducing new analysis experience on Amazon QuickSight
Describing data
Using Amazon QuickSight, you can add information, or metadata, about the columns (fields) in your datasets. By adding metadata, you make the dataset self-explanatory and easier to reuse. Doing this can help data curators and their customers know where the data came from and what it means. It's a way of communicating to the people who use your dataset or combine it with other datasets to build dashboards. Metadata is especially important for information that is shared between organizations.
After you add metadata to a dataset, field descriptions become available to anyone who is using the dataset. A column description appears when someone who is actively browsing the Fields list pauses on a field name. Column descriptions are visible to people who are editing a dataset or an analysis, but not to someone who is viewing a dashboard. Descriptions aren't formatted. You are able to enter line feeds and formatting marks and these are preserved by the editor. However, the description tooltip that displays is only able to show words, numbers, and symbols—but not formatting.
To edit a description to a column or field
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On the QuickSight start page, choose Datasets at left.
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On the Datasets page, choose the dataset that you want to work on.
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On the dataset details page that opens, choose Edit dataset at upper right.
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On the dataset page that opens, choose a column in the table preview at bottom or in the field list at left.
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To add or change the description, do one of the following:
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At the bottom of the screen, open the settings for the field from the pencil icon next to the field's name.
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In the field list, open the settings for the field from the menu
next to the field's name. Then choose
Edit name & description from the context
menu.
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Add or change the description for the field.
To delete an existing description, delete all the text in the Description box.
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(Optional) For Name, if you want to change the name of the field, you can enter a new one here.
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Choose Apply to save your changes. Choose cancel to exit.
