Documentation

The Documentation application is used to centralize, structure, and maintain internal knowledge, from business processes and solutions to policies and technical know-how. It provides a reliable, easy-to-navigate space for capturing and sharing essential organizational information.

General overview

Effective data governance requires not only managing data but also documenting its context. Whether you are recording team procedures, clarifying transformation logic, or compiling onboarding materials, having structured and accessible documentation is critical.

The Documentation app allows teams to:

• Organize documentation in structured categories.
• Store detailed knowledge next to relevant data objects.
• Keep documentation up to date through workflows and ownership assignments.

Common use cases include:

• Describing data pipeline logic
• Capturing policies or audit requirements
• Maintaining team-specific know-how and standards

Documentation object types

The table below outlines the object types available in the Documentation app and their intended use:

Object type	Use
Document set	A container used to group documentation pages by topic, department, or function.
Document	A documentation page used to record and share specific knowledge, such as procedures, definitions, or internal guidelines, within a structured content and summary format.

Documentation relations

There are two types of relations between Documentation objects and other Dawiso objects:

1. Documents

This relation connects documentation pages to other objects in Dawiso (e.g., datasets, business terms, or data products).

• Documents: The documentation page provides information or context about another Dawiso object.
• Is documented by: The object has supporting documentation linked to it.

2. Related

This relation is manually created between documentation objects. It helps connect related documentation pages, for example, linking a general guideline to a specific procedure or grouping related documentation sets. Use this to establish a structured, navigable knowledge base within the Documentation app.

Together, these relations ensure that documentation is well-organized, connected, and easy to access across the platform.

Key features

AI-generated summary

Enable the AI-generated summary feature to automatically produce a concise overview of the document based on its content. This helps users quickly assess relevance without reading the full text.

Glossary autolinking

Using tokenization or autolinking, documentation content recognizes and links key business glossary terms and indicators. This ensures that readers can immediately see the official definition behind each term, navigate directly to its glossary entry, and understand how it is used across reports and data products.

Labels

The Documentation app supports dedicated label types designed specifically for classifying documentation content. These labels help ensure consistent organization and easier navigation:

• Security classification (e.g., Confidential, Internal, Public)
• Documentation type (e.g., Business Process, Technical Specification, User Guide)

Labels are meant to clearly indicate the nature, purpose, and sensitivity of each document. This helps users quickly understand what a document contains and how it should be handled, supporting better structure, compliance, and discoverability across the organization.

Ownership and stewardship

Like all Dawiso objects, documentation pages can have designated owners and stewards. Ownership is a key aspect of effective data governance, but it’s especially important for documentation, where outdated or unclear content can lead to miscommunication or compliance risks.

Assign business owners and stewards to each document and link them directly to the workflow. For example, stewards may be required to approve any changes before publication, ensuring the content stays accurate. For more information, see the Role of ownership in data governance article.

Adding Documentation to your space

1. In the top-right corner of your space, click  and select + Add application.
2. Select Documentation and choose your workflow (for more information on workflow types, see Workflows).

Create a Document set

Adding a Document set is an optional step but it is recommended for better to categorization of your content.

1. In the Documentation app, click Create in the top navigation bar.
2. Name the object and select Document set, which will be used to categorize your documents.
3. Click the  icon in the top-right of the Description box to add a description for your document set.

Create a Document

1. On the Document set page, click Create in the top navigation bar.
2. Name the object and select Document to create a new documentation page.
3. Once created, click the  icon in the top-right of the Summary or Content box to add the contents for your documentation.