# Key differences between Staging Area and master database Available in... * Data Fabric * MDM Platform There are relatively few differences between the database schema of the master database and the Staging Area. | Difference | Description | | --- | --- | | No Foreign Key relations | In the Staging Area, all Foreign Key relations are
disabled. This is to allow users to load data without taking
into account the relationships between entities. | | Additional column for source | In the Staging Area, the database schema has an additional
text column where MDM users can provide details about the
origin of the record. This column is free-form and is not
mandatory.

For example, when loading data in the Staging Area, a user
may indicate that records with the ID 1 come from SAP and
the records with the ID 2 come from another legacy
system. | | Additional column for status | In the Staging Area, this column is used to
store actions carried out by MDM on the staging record. The column
contains a code:

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