Trace data lineage across SQL scripts and stored procedures
Map where each table's data comes from and goes to, so you can see what breaks before you change a table.
The prompt
Help me trace data lineage in my database code.
Database platform: [e.g. SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, PostgreSQL]
Code: [PASTE SQL scripts, stored procedures, views, or ETL steps - mask credentials and connection strings]
Table or column I care about: [NAME, or "all"]
Why I'm asking: [e.g. "planning to change a column type", "debugging a wrong number in a report", "documenting for an audit"]
Analyze the code and give me:
1. A lineage table: source object, target object, operation (INSERT, UPDATE, MERGE, SELECT INTO, view, etc.), the script or procedure where it happens, and the key columns involved.
2. Upstream and downstream chains for my table or column, written as simple arrows (e.g. staging.orders -> dbo.orders -> vw_sales -> report).
3. Column-level transformations: renames, calculations, filters, joins, and type conversions that change the data on the way.
4. Impact assessment for my planned change: every object likely to break or produce different results, ranked by risk.
5. Gaps: dynamic SQL, temp tables, linked servers, external jobs, or objects referenced but not included, where lineage cannot be confirmed from the code I gave you.
6. A Mermaid flowchart of the lineage I can paste into documentation.
Only report dependencies you can see in the code. Mark anything inferred as [INFERRED] and list what extra code or metadata (e.g. system dependency views, job schedules) would confirm it.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Data & Analysis prompts
What to fill in
- e.g. SQL Server, Oracle, Snowflake, PostgreSQL
- NAME, or "all"
- INFERRED
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the Few-Shot structure (Few-shot prompting). A few-shot prompt includes one or more worked examples of the input and the output you want, so the model can copy the pattern instead of guessing it.
Related prompts
- Analyze my clinic's claim denials and revenue cycle KPIsTurns denial and A/R data into root causes, benchmark gaps, and a prioritized fix list for the front end, coding, and billing teams.
- De-identify a dataset before sharing itA plan to remove or mask personal data in a dataset while keeping it useful for analysis, including re-identification risk checks.
- Turn an analysis into a story people act onShapes analysis into a clear narrative with one message and supporting evidence.
- Explain, debug, or speed up a SQL, Python, or DAX snippetExplains what an existing query or script does, fixes errors, and optimizes it.