Getting Started with Data Discovery

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Using Data Discovery

Login to your Osano Account as an Admin or Data Discovery Manager. 

From your Osano Dashboard, use the left-hand menu to navigate to "Data Discovery."

Click the down arrow and choose "Data Providers." 

Here you will see a list of all the data providers you have connected to Osano, along with a summary of their status, last sync and unclassified fields. 

  • Data Source: The name of the connection to your Data Provider.
  • Status: What is the connection status for that vendor (were we able to connect to that Data Source successfully, or has an error occurred?)
  • Last Successful Sync: The last time the system attempted to sync or connect to the listed Data Source.
  • Unclassified Fields: The number of fields that have been found within this Data Source that remain "Unclassified." (See "Provider Details" further down in this document). 

Adding a new Data Provider

From the "Data Providers" section, click the green "+" in the bottom right-hand corner to add a new Data Provider connection. 

In the "Choose Data Provider" module, use the "Data Provider" dropdown to choose the system you would like to connect to. Note: This dropdown will contain all connections that Osano currently has available. If a vendor is not listed in this dropdown, it is not currently supported for Data Discovery. (See "Requesting a New Connection" further down in this document). 

Once you choose a provider, the module will adjust to include entry fields required to connect to those systems. 

Fill in all required values and click "Add Provider."

Once you click "Add Provider," Osano will attempt to connect to the listed Data Provider using the credentials provided, and the "Status" will change to "queued for sync" or "in progress" as the system attempts to connect. 

If Osano can connect to the Data Provider, the status will change to "Synced," and you will see a value in the "Unclassified Fields" section that coincides with the number of fields discovered in this Provider. 

Click into the Data Provider to view the details. 

Provider Details

In Provider Details, you will see the data found within that associated vendor. 

You will see the following:

  • Field Name: The name of the field as it appears in your Data Provider.
  • Dataset: The name of the container of data within your Data Provider. This could be a table, an API endpoint or a product/feature of the vendor. 
  • Sample: The randomized sample of the data stored in that field.
  • Classification: The classification that describes what type of Personal Information is contained in this field.
  • Request Actions: Request Actions will coincide with the types of Data Requests with which the field is associated. 

To better understand the dataset, you can see a randomized sample of the data contained in each field by clicking the "eye" icon in the "Sample" column. 

From here, you want to ensure your fields are classified appropriately based on what type of data is contained within these fields. These categories will coincide with categories of personal data as defined by CCPA and GDPR. Therefore, it is recommended that all fields be classified into one of the available categories

Once classified, you can add an associated "Request Action." Request Actions tie to Data Subject Access request types. When the "Request Actions" field exists, users will be able to associate fields and data with request types. Now, when responding to data subject requests, you will be able to see what data relates to a particular request and where it is housed. 

Sync Errors

If at any other time, you receive an "error" in the status column, hover your mouse over the (eye) to see a summary of the issue. This will help with troubleshooting the connection. 

Be sure to check your connection credentials to ensure they are accurate. 

If you need to update your credentials with the correct values, click on your Data Provider. Then click the "Update Credentials" button. This will allow you to re-enter the required details. 

Once your credentials are updated, navigate back into "Data Providers." Here you can choose the frequency with which a new scan of your provider occurs. This timeframe will determine when the next scan takes place. 

If this still does not fix the problem, please contact support using the help portal (?) in the top right-hand corner of your screen. Submit a "technical support" ticket and provide your organization name, the "Data Provider" name and the text of the error. Support will be happy to assist!


Requesting a New Connection

If you would like to request a New Connection, please contact support using the help portal (?) in the top right-hand corner of your screen. Submit a "Product Feedback" ticket. Include in this ticket the system you wish to connect to and a link to their website. Our team will evaluate (1) if a connection is possible and/or if any actionable data is available via a public API, and (2) the overall market demand for this provider. Once reviewed, Osano will determine whether to add support for this connection —free of charge!