Information-Handling Software

Information-Handling Software

1. A database is an organised collection of related data

2. A database allows you to find information quickly an easily

3. Benefits of using a database:

   • Fast access to the data
   • Easy editing of data
   • Validation of data
   • Easy production of reports
   • Sharing data, so that more than one person can enter and edit it
   • Security- the data can be password protected

4. With a database you can:

   • Add new data
   • Change or delete data
   • Search the data
   • Sort the data into a given order

5. A key field uniquely indentifies each record

6. Data can be validated using:

   • Range check
   • Type check
   • Length check
   • Lookup list
   • Picture or format check
   • Input mask
   • Presence check

7. Validation ensures reasonable or sensible data in input to a system

8. A query (or search) specifies which records you are looking for and which fields of the records you would like to display

9. A complex query looks for data with more than one criterion

10. The search criteria of a query consists of the field names and the values being searched for

11. A form can be produced to make data entry more attractive and secure than just putting the information into the raw tables

12. A report is a printed document that contains data from the database organised and analysed in a specific way

13. Data types allow the computer to process a wide variety of different sorts of data

    • Number (integer)
    • Numbers (real)
    • Text or string
    • Date/ Time
    • Currency
    • Boolean
    • Lists
    • Picture
    • Sound
    • Video

14. A field is an individual data item within a record

15. A record is a collection of related fields a key field uniquely indentifies each record

16. A calcualted field is a field produced by a database

17. Data is often stored on the hard drives of computers, so it is important that the computers and the data are kept safe

18. Physical methods of security include:

    • Locks on doors
    • Alarms
    • ID cards
    • Biometric systems, such as fingerprint recognition, voice recognition or iris scanning

19. A biometric system is a security system that uses physical characteristics such as fingerprints, voice, facial features and eye scans to identify people

20. Authentication means identifying a person and verifying that they are who they claim to be

21. A back up is a duplicate copy of a file kept in case the original is lost or corrupted

22. File attributes can be set to increase security of data