The process includes receiving a data set comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and applying a first rule based decisioning to the data set to generate a first layer of metadata that comprises at least one of a key, a type indicator, a categorical indicator, and/or a continuous indicator. The first layer of metadata may be descriptive of the data set. The processor may further apply a second rule based decisioning to the first layer to generate a second layer that includes at least one of the key, the type indicator, the categorical indicator, or the continuous indicator. The second layer may be descriptive of the first layer. The process may also include generating an output file from at least one of the first layer or the second layer.