# Partition Keys (/docs/preference-management/partition-keys)

## Understanding Preference Store Partitions [#understanding-preference-store-partitions]

Partitions allow you to divide your preference data into separate containers, creating multiple isolated preference datasets within a single Transcend instance. Think of partitions as separate preference databases, each serving a specific purpose but managed through the same interface.

### Common Uses for Partitions [#common-uses-for-partitions]

Organizations typically use partitions for:

1. **Environment Separation**: Keeping development, staging, and production environments separate
2. **Multi-Brand Management**: Maintaining separate preference datasets for different brands under your organization
3. **Regional Compliance**: Managing preferences differently across geographic regions with distinct regulatory requirements
4. **Business Unit Isolation**: Separating preference data across different business units or product lines

### How Partitions Work [#how-partitions-work]

Each partition has a unique **partition key** that identifies it within your Transcend instance. When you first set up Preference Management, you'll have one default partition with a key matching your Consent Manager bundle ID.

When users update preferences, the changes are stored in the specific partition they're interacting with. This means a user could have different preference settings across your different partitions (for example, different marketing preferences for each of your brands).

## Managing Partition Keys [#managing-partition-keys]

### Viewing Your Partitions [#viewing-your-partitions]

To view and manage your partitions:

1. Go to the [Preferences > Developer Settings page](https://app.transcend.io/preference-store/settings) in the Admin Dashboard
2. Click the **Open Partition Settings** button

![Open Partitions Button](/images/screenshot/2024-05-30-open-partition-settings.png)

### Adding New Partitions [#adding-new-partitions]

To create a new partition:

1. In the Partition Settings modal, locate the **Partitions** section
2. Click **Add a new partition**
3. Enter a unique preference key for your new partition
4. Click **Save**

You can also copy an existing partition key by clicking the **Copy** button next to it.

### Setting the Default Partition [#setting-the-default-partition]

To change which partition is used by default:

1. Go to the **Change your default partition** section
2. Select the partition you want to set as default
3. Click **Update Partitions**

![Update Partitions in Partition Settings](/images/screenshot/2024-05-30-partition-settings-modal.png)

<Callout type="info">
  **Note**: Only users with access to the parent organization in Transcend can create new partition keys.
</Callout>