--- 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**.