# Trace one reported number back to where it comes from

One reported number traced from the emitting event to the dashboard, with every hop verified.

Category: Pipelines and warehouse
Source: https://letsship.ai/use-cases/document-metric-lineage
Published: 2026-08-25

## Goal

Document the full lineage of one reported metric, from source event to dashboard.

## Acceptance criteria

- Every hop from source to dashboard is named
- Each hop is verified by running the query or job
- The definition of the metric is stated in words as well as code
- Discrepancies found along the way are filed

## What lands as proof

A lineage document where each hop was actually executed, not inferred from naming.

## Prompt

Copy this to an agent to open the ticket:

```text
Create a Linear issue in my team and assign it to the SHIP agent.

Title: Document the lineage of {metric}

Description: Document the full lineage of one reported metric, from source event to dashboard.

Acceptance criteria:
- Every hop from source to dashboard is named
- Each hop is verified by running the query or job
- The definition of the metric is stated in words as well as code
- Discrepancies found along the way are filed

Before you create the issue, pick a metric leadership actually quotes and replace {metric} with it.
```

## Questions

### What does the agent actually change?

The ticket is scoped to one outcome: document the full lineage of one reported metric, from source event to dashboard. Work that serves that outcome is in scope, and anything outside it is left for a separate ticket, so the pull request stays reviewable.

### How do I know the work is done?

The pull request carries the evidence, not only the diff. Here that means every hop verified by running it, so a reviewer can confirm the result without reproducing the work locally.

### How much oversight does this need?

None is required before the run starts. Every claim this ticket makes can be checked by machine, so the agent works straight through and a person reviews the finished pull request like any other.