Microsoft Purview · Unified Catalog Governance
Data Profile Reader
Browse data profile insights and drill down to column-level statistics. Sub-role requiring Governance Domain Reader and catalog reader.
Scope: Read-only access to data profiling results within domain
Permissions
- Browse data profile insights
- Drill down to column-level profiling statistics
- View data distributions and patterns
- Access min/max/avg and other statistical measures
- Cannot run profiling jobs
- Cannot modify profiling configurations
Common use cases
- Data consumers understanding data characteristics
- Analysts evaluating data suitability for use cases
- Business users checking data completeness and quality
- Data scientists assessing training data distributions
- Stakeholders verifying data product documentation accuracy
Best practices
- Assign to data consumers who need deep data understanding
- Use profiling insights to assess data fitness for purpose
- Include profile statistics in data product evaluation
- Train readers on interpreting statistical measures
- Combine with Global Catalog Reader for broad assignment
Security considerations
- Read-only role with minimal security concerns
- Can view column-level statistics and data patterns
- May reveal sensitive data characteristics
- Does not show actual data samples
- Safe for broad assignment within domain
Common questions
When should I assign the Data Profile Reader role?
Assign Data Profile Reader when you need to: Data consumers understanding data characteristics; Analysts evaluating data suitability for use cases; Business users checking data completeness and quality; Data scientists assessing training data distributions; and Stakeholders verifying data product documentation accuracy. It is part of Microsoft Purview and should be granted as a least-privilege alternative to broader roles like Global Administrator.
What can someone with the Data Profile Reader role do?
The Data Profile Reader role grants permissions including: Browse data profile insights; Drill down to column-level profiling statistics; View data distributions and patterns; Access min/max/avg and other statistical measures; Cannot run profiling jobs; and Cannot modify profiling configurations. See the Permissions section above for the full list.
What are the security risks of the Data Profile Reader role?
Key considerations when assigning Data Profile Reader: Read-only role with minimal security concerns; Can view column-level statistics and data patterns; May reveal sensitive data characteristics; and Does not show actual data samples. Review the Security considerations section before assignment, and pair with Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time access where possible.