> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://openmetadata-docs-release-watchers.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sample Data Handling Using PII Tags

# Sample Data Handling Using PII Tags

In OpenMetadata, sensitive information is protected through **automatic masking** of sample data when PII (Personally Identifiable Information) tags are applied.

## How It Works

* If a **PII tag** is applied to a **specific column**:
  * Only that column’s sample data will be **masked** and displayed as `******` in the UI.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/openmetadata-docs-release-watchers/dlRK_K9OJDylcgnt/public/images/how-to-guides/governance/pii-tags.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dlRK_K9OJDylcgnt&q=85&s=0ead9a8c5c5a7c8159b33c20e645dd09" alt="PII Tag Application at Column Level" width="2159" height="1268" data-path="public/images/how-to-guides/governance/pii-tags.png" />

* If a **PII tag** is applied at the **table level**:
  * **All columns** within that table will have their sample data masked automatically.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/openmetadata-docs-release-watchers/dlRK_K9OJDylcgnt/public/images/how-to-guides/governance/pii-tags2.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dlRK_K9OJDylcgnt&q=85&s=d5e91baf29644f99020366105b0ae7c2" alt="PII Tag Application at Table Level" width="2159" height="1268" data-path="public/images/how-to-guides/governance/pii-tags2.png" />

This behavior ensures that sensitive data is not exposed through sample data views in OpenMetadata.

## Example

| Column Name | Tag           | Sample Data Displayed |
| ----------- | ------------- | --------------------- |
| email       | PII.Sensitive | \*\*\*\*\*\*          |
| phoneNumber | PII.Sensitive | \*\*\*\*\*\*          |
| age         | (None)        | 25                    |

When the tag is applied at the **table level**, the result would be:

| Column Name | Tag                  | Sample Data Displayed |
| ----------- | -------------------- | --------------------- |
| email       | Inherited from Table | \*\*\*\*\*\*          |
| phoneNumber | Inherited from Table | \*\*\*\*\*\*          |
| age         | Inherited from Table | \*\*\*\*\*\*          |

## How to Apply PII Tags

1. Navigate to the **column** or **table** in the OpenMetadata UI.
2. Apply the **PII.Sensitive** tag via the tagging options.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/openmetadata-docs-release-watchers/dlRK_K9OJDylcgnt/public/images/how-to-guides/governance/pii-tags1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dlRK_K9OJDylcgnt&q=85&s=da16147b8ca5edc8a2d1686f9f75123b" alt="PII.Sensitive Tagging" width="2733" height="1271" data-path="public/images/how-to-guides/governance/pii-tags1.png" />

3. Ensure auto-classification or manual tagging captures the correct columns during ingestion.