---
title: Select active data patterns
description: Active data patterns are only used for certain product capabilities.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-security/data-discovery/dds-active-data-patterns.html
release: australia
product: Data Discovery
classification: data-discovery
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Data Discovery sources, Data Discovery Store, Data Discovery, Platform Privacy]
---

# Select active data patterns

Active data patterns are only used for certain product capabilities.

## Before you begin

Role required: discovery.admin

## About this task

The appropriate product capabilities and use cases for using active data patterns include:

-   Data pattern anonymization techniques \([Data anonymization](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/data-privacy-classic/dps-data-anonymization.md)\)
-   Granular configurations \([Scanning with Granular Configuration](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-security/data-discovery/granular-configuration.md)\)
-   Testing whether the regex for a data pattern works

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **All** > **Data Discovery** > **Sources**.

2.  Select **Active Patterns** in the navigation pane.

3.  Select the **Edit** button.

4.  Check the patterns to activate, they will show in the right side of the popup.

5.  Select and drag patterns to re-order them.

    **Note:**

    The order of the data patterns will also determine the order of anonymization techniques applied for data pattern anonymization.

6.  Select the **Save** button.