We are currently living in the digital age and are drowning in an ocean of data. Organizations have a large number of data entities and data elements, and a large volume of data corresponding to the same, and they continue to amass more and more data with each passing day. With the large amount of data coming in, it’s important to know what is “quality” data, and what isn’t.

Data entities, elements, dimensions... oh my!

Before we continue, let me explain a little data terminology as it pertains to databases, or data storage. “Data entities” are the real-world objects, concepts, events, and phenomena about which we collect data. “Data elements” are the different attributes that describe the data entity. Thus, a data entity serves as the container that comprises all the data elements that describe it.

Consider a machine shop that has many types of machines: CNCs, lathes, presses, and the like. A “machine” would be the data entity representing a physical object sitting on the shop floor, and the data elements might be machine type (e.g., CNC), machine ID, machine name, machine make, machine location, machine uptime, and so forth, which store attribute values for the different machines.

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