Good Afternoon All:
 
Did the subject line make you (a) roll your eyes, (b) say "No duh!" or (c) cringe?  Let me guess: It depends!!
 
This subject has been sloshing around in my mind for some time, and I've had animated discussions with colleagues (RIM types and IT types).  I've also been poking around in the LISTSERV archives, studying the discussions on this topic that occurred in 2001, 2002, and 2009.  And I flipped thru a few books in our RIM library to see what The Luminaries have said on this subject (spoiler alert: Not Much, although I have to confess I got really bored about 5 minutes in).
 
I've come to appreciate that this subject is much larger than a simple statement or question suggests, mostly because there are many different types of databases, different uses of databases, and people tend to speak from their unique sets of experiences.  So let me get to it:  I'm interested in your thoughts on this very narrow set of facts and questions:
 
-The database in question is PeopleSoft
-The data in question is financial data only (for the sake of discussion)
-There are no scanned images of actual invoices or anything else (for the sake of discussion)
-Records - and parts of records - can be generated from the system.  Things like: Annual General Ledgers; Bob's monthly expenditures on his company credit card
 
1. So, do you think our PeopleSoft database is a record?
2. Do you think there are records in PeopleSoft?  Or are you sensible like me and think "No, there are potential records in PeopleSoft."
3. What would you say to Big Giant Finance Head, Mr. Snickers, when he says: "We don't need to generate an annual General Ledger because it's in PeopleSoft; we can generate it anytime we want to."
4. Bonus Question:  what would you say to people who refer to PeopleSoft as "the database of record."  (Full disclosure: My IT Person used this phrase and I said the term is halfway between meaningless and harmful)

Have at it, folks!  I look forward to your thoughts.
 
Thank you,

Ken Begley
Metro Regional Government
Portland, Oregon
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Ken Begley
Metro Regional Government
Portland, Oregon
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