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This section provides guides and references to use the Prefect connector. The connector ingests flows as Pipelines, each flow’s tasks (from its most recent run) as Tasks, and flow run history as Pipeline Status. It connects to either Prefect Cloud or a self-hosted Prefect Server over the Prefect REST API. Configure and schedule Prefect metadata workflows from the Collate UI:

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Requirements

The Prefect connector reads flows, deployments, and run history through the Prefect REST API. The connector requires no database-level grants—access is controlled entirely by the credentials used to call the API.

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Prefect Cloud

The API key must belong to a service account or user with at least Viewer access to the workspace identified by the configured Account ID and Workspace ID. Viewer access is sufficient to list flows and read their deployments, flow runs, task runs, and asset materializations (for lineage).

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Self-Hosted Prefect Server

If the server has Basic Auth enabled via PREFECT_SERVER_API_AUTH_STRING, provide the same user:password value as the Basic Auth String. If the server has no auth enabled, leave the field empty and requests are sent without credentials.

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Lineage

Table-to-table lineage is built from two sources, tried in order:
  1. Assets API (Prefect Cloud only)—exact upstream and downstream table pairs read from a flow run’s asset materializations, when the flow uses @materialize or asset_deps.
  2. Lineage tags (Cloud and self-hosted)—tag a flow, deployment, or task run with om-source:<database>.<schema>.<table> and om-destination:<database>.<schema>.<table>. Every detected source is linked to every detected destination. This requires the Database Service Name(s) to be configured in the pipeline service’s lineage settings so the tagged tables can be resolved to existing Collate Table entities.

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Metadata Ingestion

To ingest metadata from Prefect, you need to create a service connection. The service connects Prefect with Collate. Once you create a service, Collate automatically starts ingesting metadata.

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Step 1: Add New Service

  1. In the left navigation, click Connections.
  2. On the Connections page, click Add New Service.
Add New Service

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Step 2: Select a Service and Connector

From the service type dropdown, select Pipeline Services, then click the Prefect connector tile. Select Service

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Step 3: Add Service Name and Description

  • Enter a unique, descriptive Service Name. Collate identifies services by their service name. Enter a name that distinguishes this deployment from other Prefect services you are ingesting metadata from.
  • Optional: Enter a Description for the service.
Add New Service Name
Note: The service name cannot be changed after it is set.

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Step 4: Configure Connection Options

Specify where ingestion runs, provide your source credentials, and verify the connection.

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Select Ingestion Runner

Select an Ingestion Runner: the runner where the ingestion pipeline will execute. Add Name and Select Ingestion Runner

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Enter Connection Details

Enter the connection details for Prefect. A help panel displays inline guidance for each field. Configure Service Connection
  • Host and Port (required): Prefect API base URL. Use https://api.prefect.cloud for Prefect Cloud, or your self-hosted server URL, for example http://localhost:4200.
  • Authentication (required): Choose the authentication type that matches your Prefect deployment:
    • Prefect Cloud:
      • Prefect API Key: API key for Prefect Cloud authentication.
      • Account ID: Found in the URL: app.prefect.cloud/account/{accountId}.
      • Workspace ID: Found in the URL after /workspaces/{workspaceId}.
    • Prefect Server:
      • Basic Auth String (optional): The PREFECT_SERVER_API_AUTH_STRING value in user:password format. Leave empty if the server has no auth enabled.
  • Number of Status (optional, default 10, max 100): Number of past flow run statuses to ingest per flow.
  • Verify SSL (optional): Client SSL verification mode for the Prefect API connection. Choose from:
    • No SSL (default): Plain HTTP connection.
    • Ignore: Accept HTTPS without validating the certificate (not recommended outside of testing).
    • Validate: Validate the certificate using the CA cert provided in SSL Configuration.
  • SSL Configuration (optional): CA certificate (and, for mutual TLS, client certificate and key) used when Verify SSL is set to Validate.
  • Default Pipeline Filter Pattern (optional): Regex pattern to include or exclude flows by name. Supports includes and excludes arrays.
Tip: When using a Hybrid Ingestion Runner, any sensitive credential fields—such as the Prefect API Key or Basic Auth String—must reference secrets using the following format:
This applies only to fields marked as secrets in the connection form (these typically mask input and show a visibility toggle icon). For more information about managing secrets in hybrid setups, see the Hybrid Ingestion Runner Secret Management Guide.

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Test Connection

Once the credentials have been added, click on Test Connection and Save the changes. Test Connection

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Step 5: Configure Ingestion Options

In the What to Ingest step, use filter patterns to control which assets Collate ingests from your Prefect service. Filter patterns use regular expressions applied to flow names.

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How Filter Patterns Work

  • Include: Add one or more comma-separated regular expressions. Collate ingests only assets whose names match at least one expression. Leave blank to include all assets.
  • Exclude: Add one or more comma-separated regular expressions. Collate skips any asset whose name matches an expression. Leave blank to exclude nothing.
Rules match asset names using one of five expressions:
  • contains: matches any name containing the value. For example, sales matches my_sales_data and sales_2024.
  • starts with: matches names beginning with the value. For example, prod_ matches prod_db and prod_schema.
  • ends with: matches names ending with the value. For example, _raw matches events_raw and logs_raw.
  • is exactly: matches the exact name only. For example, analytics matches only analytics.
  • matches regex: matches names using a regular expression. For example, ^prod_.*_v\d+$ matches prod_events_v1.
When both Include and Exclude are set, Exclude takes priority.
Tip: Leave the filter pattern empty to ingest all flows available in the source.

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Filter Options

The Pipeline section includes the following filter options:
  • Pipeline: Controls which flows Collate ingests from Prefect.
Each section provides the following controls:
  • Scan Mode: Choose between the following scan modes:
    • Scan all: Ingests every asset of that type the connector can access. This is the default.
    • Only specific: Enables include rules so only assets matching at least one rule are ingested.
  • Always exclude: Add permanent exclusion rules (shown in red). Assets matching these rules are never ingested, regardless of include rules.
  • Preview: Shows a real-time summary of what will be in scope based on your current rules.
  • Include rules (available only in Only specific mode): Click + Add to define a rule. Added rules appear as chips. An asset is included if it matches any rule.
Tip: If AutoPilot is enabled, lineage between pipeline tasks and data assets is tracked automatically after the first metadata ingestion completes.

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Step 6: Create & Deploy

Click Create & Deploy to deploy the agent and start the first metadata ingestion run. Collate saves the service configuration and immediately begins pulling metadata from the source. To monitor ingestion progress or view the service you just added, go to Connections in the left navigation and select your service.

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Configure Metadata Agent and Schedule Ingestion

The Metadata Agent extracts pipelines, tasks, and other structural metadata from your source and keeps your Collate catalog in sync. It powers discovery, lineage, and governance across your data assets. When you click Create & Deploy, Collate automatically deploys a Metadata Agent for this service and triggers the first ingestion run. View its status and run history from the Agents tab on the service detail page. To configure the additional Metadata Agent and schedule ingestion, follow these steps:
  1. In the left navigation, click Connections and select your service.
  2. Click the Agents tab.
  3. Click Add Agent and select Metadata from the dropdown. Add Metadata Agent For some services, the dropdown is not available and clicking Add Agent takes you directly to the agent configuration page.
  4. On the Configure Ingestion page, do the following and click Next.
    • Name this Ingestion: Enter a unique recognizable name for this ingestion pipeline. Name this Ingestion
    • Agent Setup: Configure the core parameters for this agent. The following fields are available: Agent Setup
    • Filter Patterns: Apply include or exclude rules to scope which pipelines this agent ingests. These follow the same filter options described in Step 5. Filter Patterns
    • Scope & Behaviour: Control what metadata to include and how to handle deletions. Toggle each option on or off based on your needs: Scope & Behaviour
  5. On the Schedule Interval page, set when the agent runs:
    • Schedule: Choose a preset interval (Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly) or enter a custom cron expression.
    • On-Demand: No automatic schedule; trigger the agent manually when needed.
    Schedule Interval
  6. Click Add to deploy the agent.

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Troubleshooting

Prefect Troubleshooting

Learn more about how to troubleshoot common Prefect connector issues and resolve configuration or ingestion errors.