Modeling Guide

Mask Type

Replace all or a portion of the data with another character.

For the column you specify, you can select to replace the beginning or ending characters, or to mask all of the data in the column.

Option Description
All Masks all of the data in the column with the specified masking character.
Everything except first/last __ characters

Masks a portion of the data.

First: Reveals the specified number of characters at the beginning of the value, and masks the rest of the characters. For example, setting this option so the first four characters will show the actual data for the first four characters. The data starting with the fifth character is masked through the end of the value.

Last: Reveals the specified number of characters at the end of the value, and masks the rest of the characters. For example, setting this option so the last two characters will show the actual data for the last two characters. All of the characters before the last two characters are masked.

Masking character The character or number that replaces the masked data, for example, "#" or "*". When using a numeric variance, the character must be a number. You can also leave this blank to remove all masked characters.
Maintain format Enabling this option retains any special characters such as dashes, slashes, periods, or spaces between characters and formatting in the output. For example, if you have a phone number that uses dashes, then the dashes are output.

Disabling this options replaces special characters and spaces with the designated masking character.

Mask all characters in email name Enabling this option masks all characters (even special characters such as a period or a slash mark) that appears to the left of the @ symbol. The format of the email domain portion of the address (for example, @sap.com) is retained; the @ and the period, for example, @xxx.xxx.

Example

If you have a column for User_ID, the value is "Smith7887", and you set the option to Everything except the first 4 characters, your output would be "Smitxxxxx".

If you set the option to Everything except the last 2 characters, your output would be "xxxxxxx87". If your masking character is left blank, your output would be "87".

Example

If you have a column for Phone1, the value is "800-555-1234", and select Maintain format, your output would be "xxx-xxx-xxxx". Not selecting this option would output "xxxxxxxxxxxx".

Example

If you have a column for Email1, the value is "john.smith@abc.com", and you enable Maintain format and Mask all characters in email name, then your output would be "xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx".

If you enable Maintain format and disable Mask all characters in email name, then your output would be "xxxx.xxxxx@xxx.xxx".

If you disable both Maintain format and Mask all characters in email name, then your output would be "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx".