Guidance

Using metadata to describe data shared within government

Updated 28 September 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recommended-open-standards-for-government/using-metadata-to-describe-data-shared-within-government

Use the Dublin Core schema when you share tabular data, like CSV files and spreadsheets, between government departments.

1. Summary of the standard’s use for government

Dublin Core makes data easier to catalogue, validate and reuse. Other metadata schemas use Dublin Core extensively, including schema.org.

Dublin Core is also the foundation for many more complicated standards such as Data Catalog Vocabulary (DCAT), so it can help you implement other standards easily.

This profile builds on the Open Standards Board recommendation to use the RFC 4180 definition of CSV (comma-separated values) for publishing tabular data in government.

The government chooses standards using the open standards approval process and the Open Standards Board has final approval. Read more about the process of choosing all the schema standards for tabular data.

2. How this standard meets user needs

You should use Dublin Core if you’re a government worker who creates, shares and maintains tabular data for use within government. For example, you:

  • use spreadsheet applications to do data analysis
  • process data in a range of software

This standard meets the need for consistency and context when sharing tabular data across government.

Using the Dublin Core will:

  • help first-time metadata users become familiar with adding metadata to their tabula data
  • give creators a framework for where, how and what kinds of information to record
  • make it easier for users to find the content they need

3. How to use the standard

For information about starting to use Dublin Core, you can read the guidance in ‘Record information about data sets you share with others’. This recommends using Dublin Core elements including ‘formats’ and ‘conformsTo’.

If you need further properties, classes, data types, and vocabulary encoding schemes for greater specificity and granularity when sharing within government, you can use the full Dublin Core Metadata Element Set.

3.1 When not to use this standard

You should not use Dublin Core if you’re:

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