Lineage
Trace a value from source field to submitted return.
By the end you’ll be able to
- Read a lineage trace from the submitted return back to the originating source field.
- Use lineage to explain a finding to an auditor or registrar.
- Combine lineage with the audit log to prove a value end-to-end.
Lineage is the answer to 'where did this number come from?'. For any field on a submitted return, DataBridge can trace backwards through: the return-builder rule that emitted it, the canonical-model value it consumed, any repair that touched it, the resource-map binding that produced it, and the source-system field it ultimately came from. That chain is the operational complement to the citation discipline on the rules side.
The Lineage screen at `/lineage` lets you open a record and follow the field-by-field trace. Each step names the component that produced the value, with a link out to its definition where applicable. For dictionary-capable adapters the trace also surfaces the source schema position the value came from.
Lineage pairs naturally with the tamper-evident audit log (the SHA-256 hash chain — taught in the Analyst track's 'Prove it' lesson). Lineage shows *how* the value flowed; the audit log shows *that no one changed it between steps*. Together they answer the two questions a registrar will ask: 'where did this come from?' and 'is anyone hiding something?'.
Practically: when an audit finding lands, you open the offending field's lineage, follow it back to the source, and either fix the source data, amend the mapping, or document the defensible choice. When a submission is queried after the fact, you open the lineage on the queried field and walk the chain — every step is named, sourced and dated.
Walkthrough
- Open Lineage
1.Open Lineage
The Lineage screen lists recent records you can trace. Pick one to open its field-by-field trace.
- Open a record
2.Follow a field end-to-end
On the record view, expand any field and walk the chain from the return value back to the source field. Note the resource-map step and any crosswalk involved.
- Open Audit log
3.Cross-check the audit log
The audit log (the SHA-256 hash chain) certifies the steps in the lineage haven't been tampered with. Open it once to see the pairing.
Your turn
Open the Lineage screen, pick a record and trace one field from the submitted return back to its source. Note the resource-map binding step and any crosswalk in the chain.
Hint: The 'Open Lineage' step gets you to the list; click into a record, then expand a field to walk the trace.