There is a lot of data out there, and it can be tough to keep track of it all. That’s where reference data comes in. But, what is reference data? Reference data is a set of data that provides a common point of reference for other data sets. It can be used to help organize and understand information. Keep reading to learn more about reference data and why it is important.
Why is reference data important?
One of the most important aspects of data governance is the management of reference data. Reference data is critical for many business processes, including data cleansing, data integration, data matching, and data governance.
Reference data is important because it is a key part of data quality. Poor-quality data can cause many problems for businesses, including inaccurate reports, incorrect decisions, and incorrect business processes. Reference data is used to cleanse and correct data so that it is of the highest quality.
Reference data is also important for data integration. When data is integrated, it is often necessary to match data fields between the different data sets. Reference data is used to match the data fields so that the data can be integrated properly. Reference data is also important for data governance. Data governance is the process of ensuring that data is of high quality and is used in a consistent manner across the organization. Reference data is used to ensure that the data is accurate and reliable.
What role does governance play in managing reference data?
The role of governance in managing reference data is to ensure that the data is accurate, consistent, and complete. The governance process helps to ensure that all stakeholders have a say in how the reference data is managed. This includes setting standards for quality, creating policies for adding and deleting data and establishing processes for ensuring that the data meets all requirements. The governance framework also helps to prevent fragmentation of the reference data across multiple systems or applications.
Is there a best practice for implementing and using reference data?
There is no single answer to the question of what is the best way to implement and use reference data. However, there are a few key considerations that should be taken into account when making decisions about how to manage reference data:
- Scope: Reference data can be used at different levels in an organization at various workstations, from the enterprise level down to individual applications. It’s important to consider where in the organization the reference data will be used and how it will need to be accessed.
- Granularity: Reference data can be granular or summarized. Granular reference data is more accurate but also more difficult to manage and requires more storage space. Summarized reference data is less accurate but easier to work with and takes up less storage space. It’s important to decide which level of granularity is appropriate for each use case.
- Consistency: One of the biggest benefits of using reference data is that it helps ensure consistency across datasets. It’s important to make sure that the definition of each piece of reference data is consistent across all systems that use it. This may require some manual intervention or governance processes to ensure accuracy.
- Frequency of Update: Another key consideration when implementing reference data is how often it needs to be updated. Some reference data may only need to be updated once a month or once a year, while other types may need to be updated multiple times per day. The frequency of updates will impact how the data needs to be managed and accessed.
Reference data is important because it is a key component of data governance. It helps to ensure that data is accurate and consistent across different systems. Reference data is also used to support data analysis and reporting. Overall, the data is a critical part of data management and is essential for ensuring the accuracy and consistency of data.
