# Structural differences and limitations with MongoDB

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**Required license:** Professional or Enterprise
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The data structure for MongoDB is different from that of relational data connectors.

Instead of schemas, tables, and columns, a MongoDB database consists of collections and fields. A field might be an object that is made up of other fields. In other words, a collection can have a tree structure that is similar to a JSON document.

For workspaces that use MongoDB, the Tonic Structural application has the following differences.

## Terminology changes <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-terminology" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-terminology"></a>

On the following Structural views, the term "collection" replaces the term "table".

* [Privacy Hub](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/privacy-hub)
* [Schema Changes](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/schema-changes)
* [Subsetting](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/subsetting)

References to columns are also replaced:

* On **Privacy Hub**, the protection status panels refer to "fields" instead of "columns".
* On the **Schema Changes** view, the change lists refer to "paths" instead of "columns".

## No schema caching

MongoDB does not allow you to cache the database schema.

## Privacy Hub - Latest Collection Scan <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-privacy-hub-collection-scan" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-privacy-hub-collection-scan"></a>

For MongoDB workspaces, Structural must scan each collection to determine the fields and data types within that collection. Until a scan is performed, you cannot configure the collection modes and generators.

For MongoDB workspaces, **Privacy Hub** includes an additional **Latest Collection Scan** section that shows the most recent time that a scan was performed on each scanned collection.

For more information, go to [mongodb-collection-scans](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/working-with-document-based-data/mongodb-collection-scans "mention").

## No Privacy Report downloads

For MongoDB workspaces, there are no options to download a Privacy Report CSV or PDF.

## No workspace inheritance <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-workspace-inheritance" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-workspace-inheritance"></a>

MongoDB workspaces do not support workspace inheritance.

## Collection View replaces Database View and Table View <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-collection-view" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-collection-view"></a>

For MongoDB workspaces, there is no **Database View** or **Table View**. Instead, MongoDB workspaces have a **Collection View**.

This view allows you to perform the same functions as **Table View**, but the display is more like **Database View**. For more information, go to [mongodb-collection-view](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/working-with-document-based-data/mongodb-collection-view "mention").

## Collection mode (table mode) limitations <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-collection-modes" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-collection-modes"></a>

Collection mode is the term for [table mode](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/generation/table-modes) in MongoDB workspaces.

MongoDB only supports De-Identify, Truncate, and Preserve Destination modes.

## Generator limitations <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-generators" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-generators"></a>

MongoDB workspaces cannot use the following generators:

* Algebraic
* Alphanumeric Key
* Array Character Scramble
* Array JSON Mask
* Array Regex Mask
* Cross-Table Sum
* CSV Mask
* Event Timestamps
* HTML Mask
* JSON Mask
* SIN
* Text Composition
* URL

## Self-consistency only

MongoDB workspaces only support self-consistency.  You cannot configure a MongoDB field to be consistent with another field.

## No upsert <a href="#mongodb-limitations-no-upsert" id="mongodb-limitations-no-upsert"></a>

MongoDB workspaces do not support upsert.

## No output to a container repository <a href="#mongodb-tonic-limitations-containerization" id="mongodb-tonic-limitations-containerization"></a>

For MongoDB workspaces, you cannot write the destination data to a container repository.

## No post-job scripts <a href="#mongodb-tonic-differences-post-job-scripts" id="mongodb-tonic-differences-post-job-scripts"></a>

For MongoDB workspaces, there is no option to run post-job scripts after a job.

You can create [webhooks](https://docs.tonic.ai/app/workflows/webhooks) that are triggered by data generation jobs.


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