Interagency Data Exchange (IDEA) Guidebook

Last updated October 30, 2026

The Interagency Data Exchange Agreement (IDEA) makes it easier to share data across California state government. This can be between entities like:

• Agencies
• Departments
• Boards
• Commissions

The IDEA has 2 parts:

• A main agreement that sets the rules for data sharing. Every state organization that signs it agrees to these same rules.
• Business Use Case Proposals (BUCPs), which are short documents for each data-sharing request. A BUCP explains what data will be shared, who will use it, and why.

This guidebook is designed to help you use the Interagency Data Exchange Agreement (IDEA).