> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://basedash.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Data visibility
> Hide tables, schemas, and columns from AI access and queries
Basedash provides comprehensive data visibility controls that allow you to hide tables, schemas, and columns from AI access across your entire organization. When hidden, these data sources become completely inaccessible to queries and are treated as if they don't exist.
## How data hiding works
When you hide a table, schema, or column in Basedash:
* **AI cannot write queries** that reference the hidden data
* **Hidden data appears as if it doesn't exist** to all users in your organization
* **Changes apply organization-wide** - all team members are affected
Saved queries that already reference hidden data may keep working. To stop people from querying it, use [data source access control](/docs/administration/data-source-access-control).
This is particularly useful for:
* Hiding sensitive or internal data
* Removing deprecated tables from AI suggestions
* Controlling what data the AI can analyze
* Maintaining data governance and compliance
## Hiding tables
To hide an entire table:
1. Open the **Data** page and select the data source containing the table.
2. In the table list on the left, right-click the table.
3. Select **Hide table**.
The table disappears from the table list right away. Hidden tables aren't listed anywhere on the Data page.
## Hiding schemas
To hide an entire schema:
1. Open the **Data** page and select the data source containing the schema.
2. In the table list on the left, hover over the schema name.
3. Click the **Hide schema** button that appears next to it.
All tables and columns in the schema are hidden from AI access. The schema moves to a **Hidden schemas** section at the bottom of the table list, which shows how many schemas are hidden. Click it to expand the list.
## Hiding columns
To hide specific columns within a table:
1. Open the **Data** page and select the table.
2. Open the column visibility menu in the table's header. It shows how many columns are hidden.
3. Uncheck the columns you want to hide.
You can also hide a column from the command menu: press Cmd/Ctrl K, open **Data sources**, select the data source, table, and column, and turn on **Hidden**.
Only admins can hide columns for the whole organization. If you're not an admin, hiding a column only changes your own table view.
## Unhiding data
To make hidden data visible again:
* **Schemas**: on the Data page, expand **Hidden schemas**, hover over the schema, and click **Show schema**.
* **Tables**: hidden tables don't appear on the Data page, so use the command menu. Press Cmd/Ctrl K, open **Data sources**, select the data source, and select the table. Hidden tables are marked "Table is hidden". Turn off **Hidden**.
* **Columns**: check the column again in the column visibility menu, or select the column in the command menu and turn off **Hidden**. In the command menu, hidden columns are marked "Column is hidden".
The data becomes accessible to AI again right away.
## Best practices
### Data governance
* **Document your hiding decisions** - keep track of why certain data is hidden
* **Regular reviews** - periodically review hidden items to ensure they're still necessary
* **Team communication** - inform your team about what data has been hidden and why
### Security considerations
* **Sensitive data** - hide tables containing PII, financial information, or internal metrics
* **Test data** - hide development or testing tables that shouldn't be analyzed
* **Deprecated data** - hide old tables that are no longer maintained
### Performance optimization
* **Unused tables** - hide tables that are no longer actively used
* **Large datasets** - consider hiding very large tables that could impact query performance
* **Experimental data** - hide tables that are still in development
## FAQ
> **Should I hide data or use access control?**
>
> Hide data that nobody should see or analyze, like test or deprecated tables.
> Hiding applies to everyone at once. To limit sensitive data to certain
> people, use [data source access
> control](/docs/administration/data-source-access-control), which sets rules per
> member or group and is checked on every query.
> **Do saved charts that use a hidden table still work?**
>
> Usually, yes. Hiding stops the AI and the Data page from showing the data,
> but saved queries that already reference it keep running. On a data source
> with schema, table, or column access rules, those queries are blocked
> instead. Review and update charts that use data you've hidden.
> **Does hiding delete data or affect syncing?**
>
> No data is deleted from your database. When a schema is hidden, Basedash
> stops syncing its structure, so tables added to it later stay hidden too.
> **Who can hide data?**
>
> Admins and members who can query a data source can hide its tables and
> schemas for everyone. View-only members can't. Hiding a column from the
> column visibility menu only applies to the whole organization when an admin
> does it.
> **The AI still references data I hid. Why?**
>
> Check in the command menu that the table or column has **Hidden** turned on,
> or that its schema is under **Hidden schemas**. Existing chats and charts
> may still contain SQL that uses the data, so start a new chat to check.
## Related features
* [Data sources](/docs/data-sources/introduction) - Learn about connecting and managing your data
* [Security](/docs/administration/security) - Understand Basedash security features
* [Tables](/docs/features/tables) - Explore table viewing and management capabilities
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