When it comes to managing data in Datarails (or any system), one crucial element that often stands at the core is a unique identifier (UID). In simple terms, a unique identifier is a type of data point that distinguishes each entry or record in a database from all others. Each unique identifier is, as the name implies, unique - meaning that no two entries will share the same UID.

To understand the concept better, let's consider a real-world example. In a library, every book has a unique identifier, often a combination of letters and numbers. This could be the ISBN for a book, which is unique for each book edition worldwide. This unique identifier helps librarians keep track of each book, regardless of how many other books they have in the library.

Similarly, in a digital database, a UID could be a customer ID in a customer database, an order number in an order database, or an employee number in an employee database. These UIDs ensure each customer, order, or employee is uniquely identifiable in the database.

Why are Unique Identifiers important?

Unique identifiers play a pivotal role in creating a functional and efficient database. Here's why they are so important:

1. Data Accuracy and Integrity: Unique identifiers ensure that each record in the database is distinct, reducing the chance of duplicate or erroneous entries. This is crucial for maintaining data accuracy and integrity.

2. Efficient Data Retrieval: When a database grows to include thousands or even millions of records, finding specific data can become like finding a needle in a haystack. But with a UID, you can quickly locate any record. For example, searching a customer by their customer ID is much faster than searching by name, as there may be multiple customers with the same name.

3. Relationship Mapping: In a relational database, UIDs are used to link records across different tables. For instance, in a retail database, a customer ID might link a customer's personal information with their order history, allowing for easy analysis of customer behavior.

4. Data Security: In some systems, unique identifiers can also aid in data security. For example, assigning a unique customer number instead of using personal data like a social security number can protect sensitive information.

What does that mean for preparing my data to be organized with Datarails?

Before starting the mapping process of your raw data, make sure that it has Unique Identifiers for your data. 

Commonly used UIDs are:

• Invoice numbers
• Record numbers
• Combination of account number and entity number
• Customer number

You notice a common factor among these examples: They are all numbers. Customer names or account names could be used as unique identifiers, however, using words is not recommended. That's because they are more prone to typos and differences in punctuation that can lead to matching errors.

What else do I need to keep in mind when it comes to UIDs?

Datarails can connect data sets from different systems. That allows you to get insights from your data in real time that you couldn't otherwise. For example, you could connect your customer data from Hubspot with your revenue data from QuickBooks to create financial reports on the customer level.

In order to do that, you need to make sure that the UIDs align between the two systems. In our example, the Hubspot customer ID needs to be identical with the Quickbooks customer ID.

If that's not the case yet for you - don't worry, the Datarails Customer Success team can help you with the process of harmonizing your UIDs.

Next: Introduction to the Data Mapper

Previous: Course Overview

Updated July 24, 2024 13:40