Relational databases minimise errors in several ways.
There's only a single storage location for any piece of information,
so:
- data updates are simple with no need to change same info in 15
different files
- info is always up-to-date - there's no chance of old data remaining
in some forgotten files
Numbers are numbers, and
dates are dates:
- no typos like 1o, i0, l0, instead of 10
- avoid data-typing problems like the dreaded Excel
"All-numbers-are-text" syndrome.
- avoid unwanted text-to-date conversions such as "MAR03" becoming 3rd
March 1900
Error check data as they're entered
- data are validated on entry, to filter impossible values
- data can be cross-checked against existing information (no more
pregnant males!)
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