Data Integrity
Soup to Nuts
Skip Adolph, CPPM, CF
Judy Windle, CPPS
Objectives
• Data Integrity: What does it mean?
• Understand Common Pitfalls
• Review Deadly Offenders
• Understand how to achieve and
maintain clean, consistent data
Data
• DATA:
– da·ta: noun
• A plural of datum.
• (used with a plural verb) individual
facts, statistics, or items of information
• (used with a singular verb) a body of
facts; information
Integrity
• INTEGRITY:
– in·teg·ri·ty (noun)
• Adherence to moral and ethical principles;
soundness of moral character; honesty
• The state of being whole, entire, or
undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the
empire
• The state of being whole. Entire, or
undiminished data that reflects the
effectiveness and adequacy of a property
management system
Data Integrity
RECORDS INTEGRITY IS SOLEY DEPENDANT ON
DATA INTEGRITY
– DATA INTEGRITY:
• The absence of unintended changes or errors
in some data
• Integrity implies that the data is an exact copy
of some original version
• Integrity may further imply that the
information represented by data that has
been validated
Common Pitfalls
• Acronyms
– HP
– APC
– SEM
– LOL, TY, TTYL
• HUH?! What do these mean?
• Abbreviations
– INC
– CO
– CORP
– LLC
Common Pitfalls
• Misspellings
– Hewlett Packhard
– Cannon
– Motorolla
• Duplicates
– E-3400
– E3400
– Latitude E3400
• Zero’s and not O’s
– OOOOOOOO12345
– E543O
Common Pitfalls
Common Pitfalls
And the Bane of Asset Data Management is…
PUNCTUATION!
Common Pitfalls
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Common Offenders
MFR
S/N
MDL
DESC
Common Offenders
• Manufacturers:
– HP – HP CORP– Hewlett Pacard – Hewlet
Packard
– Dell – Dell Computer Co.
– RIM – Research in Motion – Blackberry
– Apple – Apple Computer – Mac
– General Motors – GM – Chevy – Chevrolet
– American Power Corporation – APC
– Amazon – Staples – Home Depot
Common Offenders
• Model Numbers, Part Numbers, Stock Numbers:
– XPS – M1530 – XPS/M1530 – M1530 Laptop
– 1430/300.5111/20 Rev # 0
– 90000 – 1949/100- 25
– Silverado 1500 HD “Extended Cab Pick-up”
– Pickup, F350 (HVY DTY)
– 4150.300.121/22 – 100 [Alum]
– Latitude E5430 – E5430 – E-5430
Common Offenders
• Descriptions:
– Computer, Laptop – Computer, Portable –
Laptop Computer, Portable Laptop
– Computer, Tablet – Portable Tablet Computer
– Desktop Computer – Computer, Desktop
– Computer, Desktop (W/ Monitor, Keyboard,
Mouse)
– Desktop Computer (W/ 17” Flatscreen Color
Monitor)
– Truck – Truck, Pickup – Pickup Truck
Where to begin…
“If you take care of the small things, the big
things will take care of themselves.”
• Steps to achieve clean, consistent data:
– Address the Challenge
– Create a Plan
– Execute and Manage
– Maintain
Address the Challenge
• Focus on the weaknesses…
– Recognize the need for data cleanup
– Understand the importance of clean data
– Identify the cause behind the inconsistencies
Create a Plan
• Assign one, centralized office or person to lead
the cleanup effort
• Establish uniform naming conventions,
processes, polices (or guidance) and training
programs
– This will drive future consistency, accuracy and
standardization
• “Manufacturers will always be entered as…”
• “Location entries are always based on…”
Create a Plan
• Prepare
– Assign specific resources
– Define the scope
• Decide what problem areas you want to focus on
• Plan how to obtain and organize the data
• Understand the amount of data you may have to
clean up
• Determine timeframe
• Document ALL decisions
– Make available to personnel
– Update as decisions are changed overtime
Execute and Manage
• Educate users on new decisions
• Gear up cleanup team
– Provide supporting documentation
– Provide necessary tools
• Analyze the data
– If limited resources are available, focus on one
problem area at a time
– Microsoft® Excel is your friend!!
• Break down into categories and start with
broadest level first
– Locations: State, City, Street Address, Floor, Room,
etc.
Execute and Manage
• Execute the cleanup
– Once all categories are organized and broken down
into elements or levels, it is time to clean up
• Remember the key steps to follow
–
–
–
–
Eliminate duplicate entries
Correct misspellings
Adjust data to reflect new naming conventions
Map asset records to correct entries
• Wrap up
– Review and make adjustments
Maintain
• Lessons learned
• Knowledge transfer
• Continue to educate and enforce
• Improve office communication
• Execute cleanup efforts annually
• Consider list of value data fields
Summary
Understand the BIG picture
• Balance structure, flexibility and usability of the
system
• Property data should be:
–
–
–
–
Descriptive
Standard
Reportable
Audit ready
• Steps to clean up
1. Address the Challenge
2. Create a Plan
3. Execute and Manage
4. Maintain
Questions