Metadata is used to determine rules that can be applied to facts. In one embodiment, correlations are identified among types of objects and the attributes of the facts associated with those objects. In another embodiment, correlations are identified among types of objects, the attributes of the facts associated with the objects, and the format and/or range of the values of the facts having those attributes. When a correlation exists between objects of a given type and the attributes of the facts associated with objects of that type, a rule is created for objects of that type. The rule is applied to objects of the given type.