Understanding Data Processing: File Concepts with an Office Metaphor

In data processing, using an office metaphor, a file is a '1. folder'.

Records are like the individual pieces of paper you store in a folder. For example, you might put the records you have on each of your '2. clients' in a file. In turn, each record would consist of '3. fields' for individual data items, such as customer name, customer number, customer address, and so forth.

By providing the same '4. data' in the same fields in each record (so that all records are consistent), your file will be easily '5. processed' for analysis and manipulation by a computer program. This use of the term has become somewhat less important with the advent of the database and its '6. reliance' on the table as a way of collecting record and field data.

In '7. older' systems, the term data set is generally synonymous with file but '8. may indicate' a specific form of organization recognized by a particular access '9. method'.

Depending on the operating system, files (and data sets) are contained within a catalog, '10. directory', or folder.