Golden record (informatics)

In informatics, a golden record is the valid version of a data element (record) in a single source of truth system.{{Cite web |title=What is a Golden Record in MDM |url=https://www.informatica.com/blogs/golden-record.html |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Informatica |language=en-US}} It may refer to a database, specific table or data field, or any unit of information used. A golden copy is a consolidated data set,{{Cite web |title=The power of the golden record for data |url=https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2022/november/golden-record-for-data |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=PensionBee |language=en}} and is supposed to provide a single source of truth and a "well-defined version of all the data entities in an organizational ecosystem".{{Cite web |last=Nwaneri |first=Chinenye |date=2019-02-14 |title=System of Record, System of Reference, Golden Records, and other confusing terms in Master Data… |url=https://medium.com/all-things-data/system-of-record-system-of-reference-golden-records-and-other-confusing-terms-in-master-data-23a87064bc05 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=All Things Data! |language=en}} Other names sometimes used include master source or master version.

The term has been used in conjunction with data quality, master data management, and similar topics. (Different technical solutions exist, see master data management).