> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anomalyarmor.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Data Classification

> Tag and categorize your data assets for governance and compliance

<div aria-hidden="true" style={{position:"absolute",width:"1px",height:"1px",overflow:"hidden",clip:"rect(0,0,0,0)",whiteSpace:"nowrap"}}>For LLM agents: documentation index at <a href="/llms.txt" tabIndex={-1}>/llms.txt</a>, full text at <a href="/llms-full.txt" tabIndex={-1}>/llms-full.txt</a>. Append .md to any page URL for plain markdown.</div>
Data classification helps you track sensitive data, organize assets, and meet compliance requirements. Know which tables contain PII before your next audit asks.

## Two Types of Tags

| Type                    | How It Works                                       | Use For                         |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| **Auto-classification** | Automatically detects PII patterns in column names | Compliance, PII tracking        |
| **Custom tags**         | You apply labels manually or in bulk               | Organization, ownership, status |

Both types work together. Auto-classification catches PII; custom tags add business context.

## The Value

### Before Classification

Auditor: "Where is customer PII?"

You: "Let me check... probably in users... and maybe orders... I think there's an email somewhere in marketing..."

### After Classification

Auditor: "Where is customer PII?"

You: *filters by `pii:*`* "Here's the complete list of 47 columns containing PII across 12 tables."

## Quick Start

**Already have data sources connected?** Classification starts working automatically:

1. Auto-classification runs during discovery
2. Check results: **Assets** > **Filter** > **Classification**
3. Add custom tags to organize assets by environment, team, or review status

**Need to customize patterns?** Go to **Settings** > **Data Classification**.

## What Gets Auto-Classified

AnomalyArmor detects common PII patterns:

| Data Type   | Example Columns           | Tag               |
| ----------- | ------------------------- | ----------------- |
| Email       | `email`, `user_email`     | `pii:email`       |
| Phone       | `phone`, `mobile`         | `pii:phone`       |
| SSN         | `ssn`, `tax_id`           | `pii:ssn`         |
| Credit Card | `card_number`             | `pii:credit-card` |
| Address     | `address`, `zip_code`     | `pii:address`     |
| Name        | `first_name`, `last_name` | `pii:name`        |
| IP Address  | `ip`, `client_ip`         | `pii:ip-address`  |

<Note>
  Auto-classification reads **column names only**, never actual data values.
</Note>

## Common Use Cases

### Compliance Audit Preparation

Before an audit:

1. Filter assets by `pii:*` tags to see all PII
2. Verify critical tables are classified
3. Export the list for documentation

See [Compliance & Governance](/data-classification/compliance) for detailed workflows.

### Organizing by Environment

Distinguish production from development:

1. Create tags: `production`, `staging`, `development`
2. Apply to assets via bulk tagging
3. Filter alerts by tag to reduce noise

### Tracking Review Status

Mark assets as reviewed:

1. Create tags: `pii-reviewed`, `needs-review`
2. Work through unreviewed assets
3. Track progress with filters

### Alert Routing

Route alerts based on tags:

* Critical tables → PagerDuty
* Non-critical → Email digest
* Development → Slack only

## Alerting on Tags

Create tag-based alert rules:

1. Go to **Alerts** > **Rules**
2. Click **Create Rule**
3. Under **Scope**, select **Filter by tag**
4. Choose your tag (e.g., `production`)
5. Configure destinations

Now alerts only fire for assets with that tag.

## Common Questions

### Do I need to tag everything manually?

No. [Auto-classification](/data-classification/auto-classification) runs during discovery and tags PII patterns like email, phone, and SSN automatically. You only add [custom tags](/data-classification/custom-tags) for things AnomalyArmor can't infer, like environment, ownership, or review status.

### Does auto-classification look at my data?

No. It reads only column names, types, and metadata. Column values stay in your database and are never transmitted.

### How does this help with compliance?

Classification gives you an instant inventory of PII locations, which auditors regularly ask for. See [Compliance & Governance](/data-classification/compliance) for SOC 2, GDPR, and access review workflows.

### Can alerts be scoped to specific tags?

Yes. In alert rules, choose **Filter by tag** and select any tag, like `production` or `pii:email`. Only assets with that tag will trigger the rule, which is the standard way to separate prod alerts from dev noise.

## In This Section

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Auto-Classification" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/data-classification/auto-classification">
    Automatic PII detection and patterns
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Tags" icon="tag" href="/data-classification/custom-tags">
    Create and apply your own labels
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compliance" icon="shield-check" href="/data-classification/compliance">
    SOC 2, GDPR, and audit workflows
  </Card>
</CardGroup>