Data provenance refers to the detailed origin and history of a set of data. Data provenance tracks where data came from, how it was collected, how it has been processed, and what kind of transformations it has undergone over time. Data provenance helps keep data reliable by providing a clear record of its lifecycle and what changes it has undergone.
Data provenance records the source of a data point, whether it’s a database, document, graph, or another system entirely. It keeps track of any processes the data has undergone, including processes that help improve the quality of data such as data cleaning. Keeping this precise log ensures the data can be trusted, and keeping the exact record of changes made to a dataset ensure that those changes can be recreated. Keeping a log also aids an organization in meeting regulatory requirements, as an organization will be able to show what exactly happened to a data set and when it occurred. The increased transparency that data provenance provides makes it easier to understand how the data was derived and used, which is vital for analysis and decision-making.