Entity Linking
The short answer · 14 words
In short
Entity linking assigns a text name to a specific entity in a knowledge base.
Flow-alerta.cab (2026): Entity Linking. https://flow-alerta.cab/en/glossar/entity-linking. Editorially reviewed on: 10 October 2026.
How much detail would you like?
Practical
The assignment combines unstructured texts with master data or knowledge graphs.
Hypothetical example: “Apple” is assigned to the company in the supplier contract and not to the fruit.
SMEs can connect documents with customer, product or supplier master data.
At a glance
- Core
- After recognizing a mention, the system decides on the basis of the context which unique data set is meant.
- Use
- The assignment combines unstructured texts with master data or knowledge graphs.
- Example
- Hypothetical example: “Apple” is assigned to the company in the supplier contract and not to the fruit.
- Limits
- Incorrect knowledge base; obsolete IDs; ambiguity; new entities without entry; error of upstream extraction.
In context
Questions about this term
What happens to unknown entities?
The system should allow ‘non-attributable’.
Is linking the same as NER?
No.
All details and background
After recognizing a mention, the system decides on the basis of the context which unique data set is meant.
ELI5 – Explained simply
It clarifies which person, company or city is behind a name.
Why it matters in practice
The assignment combines unstructured texts with master data or knowledge graphs.
Example
Hypothetical example: “Apple” is assigned to the company in the supplier contract and not to the fruit.
Pitfalls and limits
- Incorrect knowledge base; obsolete IDs; ambiguity; new entities without entry; error of upstream extraction.
Origin & history
Entity linking developed as a task of disambiguation and linking of text references to knowledge bases; the EMNLP work by Wang et al. describes a cross-domain procedure in 2015.
Use in mid-sized companies
- SMEs can connect documents with customer, product or supplier master data.
Related terms
- Entity extraction
- Knowledge graph
- Entity Resolution
- Disambiguation
Matching Flow-alerta service
AI opportunity analysis & roadmapAI consulting: Examine the suitability, data and prerequisites of a possible use case on the subject of “entity linking”.Matching tool / use case
View use casesUse Case: Linking Contracts with Master DataSources
Quellenprüfung: 10.10.2026. Definition und dokumentierte Einordnung abgeglichen; Beispiele beschreiben mögliche Anwendungen.
Editorially reviewed on: