B2B email marketing: Strategies and tips
Data has always been considered an important part of any business. Not only for businesses, data is important for every individual also. However, from a business perspective, data plays a critical role in maintaining operations and strategies. Data not only gives an overview, but it can help in preparing for the future also. Large organizations also do not prefer to take decisions without proper analysis and evaluation done through data.
Behind every decision in business, data is utilized that helps in arriving at a formed decision. Nothing in the world of business is complete without data. Even, business leaders do not talk or discuss anything without proper data. The irony here is that the data can be collected easily but it will not offer the ability of smart decisions until if it is inaccurate or dirty.
What is data integrity?
Data integrity means correctness, completeness, and consistency in data. It ensures the accuracy, honesty, and reliability of data. Data integrity is all about data that is real in facts, refined as per the requirements, and contains all relevant information that is beneficial in the smart decision-making for the business. Maintaining data integrity is a result of a data set that has accurate values, no missing values, no data gaps, and related values.
Difference between data integrity and data security
Data integrity and data security cannot be assumed as same. However, they are misunderstood to be the same. Both are a bit close and there is a simple difference between both of them. Data integrity refers to the correctness, consistency, and completeness of data while data security is the protection of data from unauthorized access and fraud.
Why is data integrity important?
With no data, you cannot decide the path, but with inaccurate data, you can be on a totally wrong path. When you are planning to achieve your goals at a specific time, you need data that is sorted, relevant and accurate. This is because once you start the planning process and if you do not have correct and accurate insights then you are just wasting your time and resources.
Types of data integrity
Data integrity is categorized into two forms: physical data integrity and logical data integrity. Both of these play a keen role in managing the data with correctness, accuracy, and completeness.
Physical integrity is the process of technically storing and retrieving data along with keeping it correct, complete, and consistent. While logical integrity is the process that helps in maintaining the complete integrity of data.
Risks that can affect the data integrity
Anything that can result in inaccuracy, missing, and inconsistency of data is a risk. There are four main categories of risks in data integrity.
Human error: Under this, data can be at risk when a person mistakenly attempted the wrong data entry. The result can be incomplete and inaccuracy in data. The mistakes can be unintentionally deleting data, wrong entries, or bypassing the guidelines meant for maintaining data integrity.
Data transfer: transferring data from one device to another can also be risky. This may result in the transfer of incomplete data which fails in data accuracy.
Spy, viruses, and malware: This is one of the major risks that could spill the whole strategy. The cyber attack on data through spies, viruses, and malware can lead to a complete loss of data. The hacker can delete, steal, misuse, or change your data at any time.
Data integrity cannot be achieved in a single day or night. It needs proper planning, resources, investment, and strategy. Today businesses are focusing on maintaining data integrity, they are also heavily investing their resources. This will result in smart decisions and revenue generation for any business, because once you have strong data then you can achieve your goals smoothly.