Creating a Data Card

A Data Card documents a dataset used in machine learning - its provenance, storage location, contents, and relationship to models. Data cards help your organisation track what data is being used, where it comes from, and how it should be handled.

Common questions this page answers:

How do I create a data card in Bailo?

When should I use a data card instead of a model?

How do I document a dataset?

When to use a data card

Create a data card when you want to:

Document a training or evaluation dataset
Track data provenance and lineage
Record data storage locations and access requirements
Link datasets to the models that use them
Meet compliance or governance requirements around data handling

Creating a data card

Create a data card from the navigation bar by selecting the Data Card entry type:

Click the + Create button in the navigation bar
Select Data Card as the entry type
Provide the basic information about your dataset through the required fields:
- Data Card Name: A clear, descriptive name for the dataset
- Description: What the dataset contains and its intended use
- Access control: Choose Public (visible to all users) or Private (visible only to collaborators)
Once you have filled in these details, click Create data card

Selecting a schema

After creating the data card, you'll be prompted to select a schema. The schema defines what information you need to provide about your dataset. Your administrator will have set up schemas appropriate for your organisation.

Common fields in a data card schema might include:

Data source and collection methodology
Size and format
Storage location
Sensitivity classification
Retention period
Known limitations or biases

Filling in the data card

Work through the form sections to document your dataset, then save to create a versioned record.

Once you've selected a schema, the data card form appears. Click Edit data card then work through each section, providing as much detail as you can. The form is divided into tabs based on the schema structure.

Click Save once you are happy with the form. This creates a new data card version which is automatically shown to anyone viewing the data card.

Using the Python client

You can also create and manage data cards programmatically using the Bailo Python client:

from bailo import Client, Datacard

client = Client("https://your-bailo-instance.com")

# Create a new data card
data_card = Datacard.create(
    client=client,
    name="Training Dataset v2",
    description="Curated training data for image classification",
)

# Update the data card metadata
data_card.update_data_card(metadata={"overview": {"tags": ["image", "classification"]}})

A full example is available in the Data Cards demo notebook.