Which control would help prevent the introduction of inaccurate data in a database?

Which control would help prevent the introduction of inaccurate data in a database?

• A. Logging all table update transactions
• B. Implementing integrity constraints in the database
• C. Using tracing and tagging
• D. Implementing before and after image reporting

Answer: (B)

Implementing integrity constraints in a database is a key control mechanism designed to prevent the introduction of inaccurate data. Integrity constraints are rules that ensure data adheres to specified standards and formats, thus maintaining data accuracy and consistency within the database. These can include primary keys, foreign keys, unique constraints, and check constraints. By enforcing these rules at the database level, any attempt to input data that violates these constraints will be rejected. This proactive approach is essential for maintaining the quality and reliability of the database. In contrast, logging transactions, implementing tracing and tagging, or using before and after image reporting are important practices for auditing, tracking changes, or recovering data, but they do not inherently prevent inaccurate data from being entered. Their main functions lie in monitoring and accountability rather than in enforcing the correctness of the data being captured. Therefore, while these techniques can complement a data integrity framework, they do not directly address the issue of introducing inaccuracies in the database.

Implementing integrity constraints in a database is a key control mechanism designed to prevent the introduction of inaccurate data. Integrity constraints are rules that ensure data adheres to specified standards and formats, thus maintaining data accuracy and consistency within the database. These can include primary keys, foreign keys, unique constraints, and check constraints. By enforcing these rules at the database level, any attempt to input data that violates these constraints will be rejected. This proactive approach is essential for maintaining the quality and reliability of the database.

In contrast, logging transactions, implementing tracing and tagging, or using before and after image reporting are important practices for auditing, tracking changes, or recovering data, but they do not inherently prevent inaccurate data from being entered. Their main functions lie in monitoring and accountability rather than in enforcing the correctness of the data being captured. Therefore, while these techniques can complement a data integrity framework, they do not directly address the issue of introducing inaccuracies in the database.