Import business glossaries and entry links using JSON files

This page describes how to bulk import glossaries, categories, terms, and entry links into Knowledge Catalog (formerly Dataplex Universal Catalog) using the Dataplex API. You can use this process to migrate metadata from other cataloging tools or to perform bulk updates to your existing glossaries by uploading JSON files to Cloud Storage.

Before you begin

Before you start the import process, complete the following prerequisites:

Create a Cloud Storage bucket

Create a Cloud Storage bucket to serve as a staging area for import files.

Required roles

To get the permissions that you need to import glossaries and entry links using JSON files, ask your administrator to grant you the following IAM roles:

• Dataplex Metadata Editor (roles/dataplex.metadataEditor) on the project
• Storage Object Viewer (roles/storage.objectViewer) on the bucket containing your import files

For more information about granting roles, see Manage access to projects, folders, and organizations.

You might also be able to get the required permissions through custom roles or other predefined roles.

Enable APIs

To import glossaries and entry links, enable the Dataplex API in your project.

Roles required to enable APIs

To enable APIs, you need the Service Usage Admin IAM role (roles/serviceusage.serviceUsageAdmin), which contains the serviceusage.services.enable permission. Learn how to grant roles.

Enable the APIs

Import glossaries using JSON files

To import glossaries, categories, and terms, complete the following tasks.

Create a target glossary

Create a target glossary to import metadata.

alias gcurl='curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $(gcloud auth print-access-token)" -H "Content-Type: application/json"'

gcurl -X POST https://dataplex.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries?glossary_id=GLOSSARY_ID -d "$(cat<<EOF

{
   "displayName": "DISPLAY_NAME",
   "description": "DESCRIPTION"
}
EOF
)"

Replace the following:

• PROJECT_ID: the project ID in which you're creating the glossary
• LOCATION_ID: the location in which you want to create the glossary
• GLOSSARY_ID: the glossary ID
• DISPLAY_NAME: the display name of the glossary
• DESCRIPTION: the description of the glossary

Prepare JSON files

Create a newline-delimited JSON file with glossary, categories, and terms that you want to upload to the Cloud Storage bucket.

Use the following JSON schema to structure your import files:

   {"entry":{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/categories/CATEGORY_ID","entryType":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary-category","aspects":{"dataplex-types.global.glossary-category-aspect":{"data":{}},"dataplex-types.global.overview":{"data":{"content":"CONTENT"}},"dataplex-types.global.contacts":{"data":{"identities":[{role: "steward", name: "CONTACT_DISPLAY_NAME", id: "CONTACT_EMAIL"}]}}},"parentEntry":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID","entrySource":{"resource":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/categories/CATEGORY_ID","displayName":"CATEGORY_NAME","description":"CATEGORY_DESCRIPTION","ancestors":[{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID","type":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary"}]}}}
   {"entry":{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/terms/TERM1_ID","entryType":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary-term","aspects":{"dataplex-types.global.glossary-term-aspect":{"data":{}},"dataplex-types.global.overview":{"data":{"content":"TERM1_CONTENT"}},"dataplex-types.global.contacts":{"data":{"identities":[{role: "steward", name: "CONTACT_DISPLAY_NAME", id: "CONTACT_EMAIL"}]}}},"parentEntry":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID","entrySource":{"resource":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/terms/TERM1_ID","displayName":"TERM1_DISPLAY_NAME","description":"TERM1_DESCRIPTION","ancestors":[{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID","type":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary"},{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/categories/CATEGORY_ID","type":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary-category"}]}}}
   {"entry":{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/terms/TERM2_ID","entryType":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary-term","aspects":{"dataplex-types.global.glossary-term-aspect":{"data":{}},"dataplex-types.global.overview":{"data":{"content":"TERM1_CONTENT"}},"dataplex-types.global.contacts":{"data":{"identities":[{role: "steward", name: "CONTACT_DISPLAY_NAME", id: "CONTACT_EMAIL"}]}}},"parentEntry":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID","entrySource":{"resource":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/terms/TERM2_ID","displayName":"TERM2_DISPLAY_NAME","description":"TERM2_DESCRIPTION","ancestors":[{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID","type":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary"},{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/LOCATION_ID/glossaries/GLOSSARY_ID/categories/CATEGORY_ID","type":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryTypes/glossary-category"}]}}}

Import glossary, categories, and terms

Import the glossary, categories, and terms into the Cloud Storage bucket:

# Set GCURL alias
alias gcurl='curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $(gcloud auth print-access-token)" -H "Content-Type: application/json"'

gcurl https://DATAPLEX_API/metadataJobs?metadata_job_id=JOB_ID -d "$(cat<<EOF
{
   "type":"IMPORT",
   "import_spec":{
      "log_level":"DEBUG",
      "source_storage_uri":"gs://STORAGE_BUCKET/",
      "entry_sync_mode":"FULL",
      "aspect_sync_mode":"INCREMENTAL",
      "scope":{
         "glossaries": "GLOSSARY_NAME"
      }
   }
}
EOF
)"

Replace DATAPLEX_API with the Dataplex API endpoint of the format dataplex.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID.

Import entry links using JSON files

To bulk import entry links, complete the following tasks.

Prepare JSON files

Create a newline-delimited JSON file with the entry links that you want to upload to the Cloud Storage bucket.

Use the following JSON schema to structure your import files:

Sample format for links between terms

   {"entryLink":{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entryLinks/el-import-0606e3f2-8206-4f3a-aba9-32c6196f6048","entryLinkType":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryLinkTypes/synonym","entryReferences":[{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/glossaries/import-glossary/terms/term-1"},{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/glossaries/import-glossary/terms/term-2"}]}}
   {"entryLink":{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entryLinks/el-import-2f7408e3-af3d-405d-81bb-861cf9ec5146","entryLinkType":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryLinkTypes/related","entryReferences":[{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/glossaries/import-glossary/terms/term-1"},{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/glossaries/import-glossary/terms/term-2"}]}}
   

Sample format for links between terms and data assets

   {"entryLink":{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entryLinks/el-import-0606e3f2-8206-4f3a-aba9-32c6196f6048","entryLinkType":"projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryLinkTypes/definition","entryReferences":[{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/entryGroups/@dataplex/entries/projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/global/glossaries/import-glossary/terms/term-1"},{"name":"projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/locations/us-central1/entryGroups/entry-group-1/entries/entry-1"}]}}
   

Import links between terms as synonym or related terms

To initiate a metadata import job that establishes synonym or related connections between your catalog terms, use the following command:

gcurl https://DATAPLEX_API/metadataJobs?metadata_job_id=JOB_ID -d "$(cat<<EOF
   {
      "type":"IMPORT",
      "import_spec":{
         "log_level":"DEBUG",
         "source_storage_uri":"gs://STORAGE_BUCKET/",
         "entry_sync_mode":"FULL",
         "aspect_sync_mode":"INCREMENTAL",
         "scope":{
            "entry_groups":[  "projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex"
            ],
            "entry_link_types":[
               "projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryLinkTypes/synonym",
               "projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryLinkTypes/related"
            ],
            "referenced_entry_scopes":[
               "PROJECT_IDS"
            ]
         }
      }
   }
EOF
)"

Replace DATAPLEX_API with dataplex.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID.

Import links between terms and specific data assets or columns

To create a link between glossary terms and data assets, run the import job for each entry group to which the entry for the data asset belongs. All definition entry links are created in this entry group.

Note: Make sure the import file in the Cloud Storage bucket contains a file for links in one entry group. To create a link between a term and entry for the data asset in another entry group, provide a new file in the Cloud Storage bucket.

   gcurl https://DATAPLEX_API/metadataJobs?metadata_job_id=JOB_ID -d "$(cat<<EOF
   {
   "type":"IMPORT",
   "import_spec":{
      "log_level":"DEBUG",
      "source_storage_uri":"gs://STORAGE_BUCKET/",
      "entry_sync_mode":"FULL",
      "aspect_sync_mode":"INCREMENTAL",
      "scope":{
         "entry_groups":[  "projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/ENTRY_GROUP_LOCATION_ID/entryGroups/@dataplex"
         ],
         "entry_link_types":[
            "projects/dataplex-types/locations/global/entryLinkTypes/definition"
         ],
         "referenced_entry_scopes":[
            "PROJECT_IDS"
         ]
      }
   }
   }
EOF
)"

Replace DATAPLEX_API with dataplex.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID.

Monitor the import job status

1. To get the status of the import operation, run the following command:

   gcurl https://dataplex.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID/operations/operation-OPERATION_ID

   Replace OPERATION_ID with the ID of the operation.

2. To get the status of the metadata job, run the following command:

   gcurl -X GET https://dataplex.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/LOCATION_ID/metadataJobs/JOB_ID

What's next

• Learn how to manage business glossaries in Knowledge Catalog.
• Learn how to import glossaries from a Google Sheet.
• Learn more about metadata management.