---
title: "Understanding the Data Profile"
slug: "understanding-the-data-profile"
description: "Data profile results are displayed in Validatar under the Catalog section. Learn how to read each type of string, numeric, and date/time profile result."
updated: 2024-03-20T18:00:42Z
published: 2024-03-20T18:00:42Z
canonical: "docs.validatar.com/understanding-the-data-profile"
---

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

# Understanding the Data Profile

## Overview

Depending on the data type of the column that was profiled, the returned statistics may vary. At the top of the profile, you'll always see technical metadata. Technical metadata includes the column name, data type, number of rows, length (for strings), and more.

The data profile is populated by running profile sets on a data source. For this reason, each data profile can be updated at different times depending on the content of a profile set. To view the recency of a profile statistic, hover over the gray circle next to the name. The color of the gray circle represents how recent the metadata is. The darker the circle, the more recent.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/a80bc2a3-87d3-4dc2-9244-a16f33ed193c/Images/Documentation/image-1632748974563.png)

The profile only shows the results of profile sets that were executed. If you’re missing profile information, go back into the Data Source and create a profile set containing the chosen data profile(s) on the appropriate objects.

## String Profiles

![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/a80bc2a3-87d3-4dc2-9244-a16f33ed193c/Images/Documentation/image%2814%29.png)

String profiles show the following information.

| Profile Type | Data Profile |
| --- | --- |
| **Summary** | - Length - Is Nullable - Number of Rows - Number, Percent of Distinct Values - Number, Percent of Null Values - Number, Percent of Blank Values - Number, Percent of Numeric Values |
| **Analysis** | - Minimum Length - Average Length - Maximum Length |
| **Distribution** | - Length Distribution - Top 10 Values - Bottom 10 Values |
| **Length** | - Shortest Value - Longest Value |

## Numeric Profiles

![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/a80bc2a3-87d3-4dc2-9244-a16f33ed193c/Images/Documentation/image%2815%29.png)

Numeric profiles show the following information.

| Profile Type | Data Profile |
| --- | --- |
| **Summary** | - Is Nullable - Number of Rows - Number, Percent of Distinct Values - Number, Percent of Null Values |
| **Analysis** | - Minimum - Maximum - Average - Lower Quartile - Upper Quartile - Median |
| **Distribution** | - Numeric Distribution - Top 10 Values - Bottom 10 Values |

## Date/Time Profiles

Date/Time profiles show the following information.

| Profile Type | Data Profile |
| --- | --- |
| **Summary** | - Is Nullable - Number of Rows - Number, Percent of Distinct Values - Number, Percent of Null Values |
| **Analysis** | - Minimum Date - Maximum Date |
| **Distribution** | - Top 10 Values - Year Distribution - Year Month Distribution |