> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.siftstack.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Channels reference

> Naming rules and supported data types for Channels in Sift

Channels in Sift represent individual time-series signals, typically originating from sensors or telemetry sources on an Asset. Each Channel is associated with a specific data type.

## Naming restrictions

* A Channel name must not exceed **255 characters**. Calculated Channel names are limited to **253 characters**.
* Channel names must contain only 7-bit ASCII characters. Extended or non-ASCII characters are not allowed.
* The following characters are not permitted in Channel names: `" ␞ ␟ ␝ ␜ \ ` \~ |\`

## Related workflows

* [Import data from a file](/documentation/ingest/data-import/import-data-from-a-file)
* [Detect deviations automatically using Rules](/documentation/review/detect-deviations-automatically-using-rules)