Term | Definition |
database | A collection of data organized in one or more data tables stored on a computer, managed using database management system software. |
entity | Anything you want to keep a record of in a database, including something that exists physically, such as a person or product, or something conceptual, such as a sales transaction. |
field | A single type of information in a data table, such as a name, an address, or a dollar amount. A field may have multiple properties, such as data type, field name, and field size. |
data type | A field property that specifies the type of information the field will hold. Examples include numeric, alphanumeric (numbers and letters), and date. |
field name | A unique name assigned to a field by the person developing the database. |
numeric data | A field data type in which the field holds integer data, consisting only of numbers. Also called integer data. |
alphanumeric data | A field data type in which the field holds text data, consisting of letters, numbers, and sometimes special characters. Also called text data. |
record | A collection of related fields describing a single entity (person, place, thing, or event) in a data table. |
data table | A collection of records of the same type in a database. Called data file in some systems. |
transaction | A business activity central to the nature of an enterprise—for example, a product being sold, an airline flight being booked, or a college course grade being recorded. |
electronic office | An office that implements an office information system (OIS) to automate office work. |