We have inherited a QuickSight Dataset that was developed by someone else. There are columns in the dataset that have a blue, left pointing arrow that do not match the name of any columns in the source database. The column “Is Current Size” isn’t in our Database. How can one tell what the source is of each column in a QuickSight Dataset? When you click the 3 dot meatball menu next to the column name, it doesn’t give any information about the source. 
It would be an alias that has been created to make a column name more meaningful.
For example, I have a dataset that is using Custom SQL where the column names are changed in the query.
Check to see what the Data source is. If it’s a database such as Postgres or Redshift, then check to see if either there is a View which it’s using, or if it is Custom SQL. If you’re connecting to Athena, then it could be Custom SQL or check to see if the column names have been changed in the Glue Data Catalog.
Hope that helps, please mark as solution if it solves your question.
Thanks!
Hi @Steph,
Thanks for your help!
The dataset we’re working with has many tables in it, all of them are using the same DataSource Name. Where could I search for any custom SQL? I’ve looked at the properties of each table, but it doesn’t have any notion of custom SQL. Thanks again
Its possible that the previous owner changed the name of the column. In your screenshot you can see the option to Edit Name and Description
Hi @Steph,
You are right, the previous owner did in fact change the name of the column.
They didn’t update the description column, so when going through through columns, I can’t tell what the source Dataset/column is for a given renamed column.
Is there another view that would show that information? Thanks!
If they published the original column names before they changed them you would be able to see that in the publishing history . Otherwise you would probably need to go back to the original table in the database and try to work it out from the data.
