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---
title: Collate ER Diagrams | Visualize Data Relationships
slug: /how-to-guides/data-discovery/er-diagrams
collate: true
---
# Collate: Entity Relationship (ER) Diagrams
## Overview
Entity Relationship (ER) Diagrams in Collate provide a visual representation of how tables are connected within a database. These diagrams offer a complete picture of your data structure by automatically detecting relationships based on constraints such as **primary keys** and **foreign keys** during metadata ingestion.
{% youtube videoId="thC9fRDmR_U" start="0:00" end="1:30" width="800px" height="450px" /%}
## Automatic Detection of Relationships
Collate's [**metadata ingestion workflow**](/connectors/ingestion/workflows/metadata) identifies and extracts table relationships, ensuring that **primary key** and **foreign key** constraints are accurately represented. Once ingestion is completed, users can access ER diagrams at both the **table level** and **database schema level**.
## Features of ER Diagrams
### Visualizing Table Relationships
- ER diagrams display **tables, constraints, and relationships** between them.
- **Relationship cardinality** is clearly indicated, helping users understand data connections.
{% image
src="/images/v1.6/how-to-guides/discovery/table-relationships.png"
alt="Visualizing Table Relationships"
caption="Visualizing Table Relationships"
/%}
### Interactive Exploration
- Users can navigate from table to table by following relationships.
- Enhances **data discovery** by making it more intuitive and efficient.
### Editing Relationships
- Modify existing relationships by **updating their type**.
- **Add or remove** relationships to reflect changes in the database structure.
### Table View for Simplified Insights
- In addition to the diagram, Collate offers a **table view** listing all relationships in a structured format.
- Provides a **quick overview** of data dependencies.
{% image
src="/images/v1.6/how-to-guides/discovery/table-view.png"
alt="Table View for Simplified Insights"
caption="Table View for Simplified Insights"
/%}
## Benefits of ER Diagrams
### Improved Database Understanding
- ER diagrams create a **common language** for database discussions.
- Helps teams **visualize complex relationships** and constraints.
### Enhanced Troubleshooting & Impact Analysis
- Users can quickly **identify table relationships** and assess the impact of schema changes.
- Assists in **debugging and optimizing database structures**.
With **Collate's ER Diagrams**, users gain **greater visibility** into their data relationships, improving **data discovery, governance, and analysis**.