Conducting and managing sampled information audits for the determination of database accuracy
First Claim
1. In a computer based system, an apparatus for auditing a repository of data stored electronically in the computer, wherein the repository of data stores a plurality of records each having a one or more fields, the apparatus comprising:
- a conducting audit utility comprising;
audit criteria accessing means for accessing audit criteria stored in the computer, wherein said audit criteria includes the number of items stored in the repository of data to be audited;
sample generation means for generating a sample set of data based on said audit criteria, such that said sample set of data includes at least the number of items to audit as indicated in said audit criteria, wherein said sample set of data is selected by applying at least one of a focus group criteria, a filter criteria, a skew criteria, or an empty field indicator, wherein sample generation means includes,focus group means, responsive to said focus group criteria, for logically organizing a variety of fields within the repository of data whose combined accuracy should be analyzed as one unit,filter means, responsive to said filter criteria, for determining records and fields for inclusion in said sample set,empty field means, responsive to said empty field indicator, for not including empty fields in said sample set when said sample set is generated, andskew means, responsive to said skew criteria, for emphasizing one or more fields within a record such that sample set is biased towards said emphasized one or more fields, but does not limit said sample set to only emphasized fields,a reviewing sample utility comprising means for providing said sample set of data in a user readable format so that a reviewer can compare said sample set of data with the original data stored in the repository of data and tabulate a total number of errors in said sample set of data; and
an error analysis utility comprising means for accepting said errors, and calculating audit results, whereby said audit results indicates accuracy values of said repository of data.
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Abstract
A computer-based method and apparatus for auditing electronic information, most often a database. A database auditor of the present invention conducts an audit as specified by a user-defined project. The project indicates focus groups, filters, skews and whether to count blank entries. The database auditor selects a sample representative of the view of the database described by the project. It presents the sample to the user in a standardized set of reports or on-line forms. The user then determines the number errors contained in the sample and communicates these data to the database auditor. The database auditor uses the error data to calculate the accuracy of the database, as well as the accuracies of the individual fields and focus groups, and to presents these accuracies to the user. Finally, the database auditor charts areas of accuracy and inaccuracy by field and focus group and indicates which inaccuracies are due to process errors and which are due to user errors. The indication of whether the source of inaccuracy is inherent in the process (i.e., a process error) or caused by human negligence (i.e., a user error) enables the user to efficiently and effectively correct database inaccuracies.
65 Citations
63 Claims
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1. In a computer based system, an apparatus for auditing a repository of data stored electronically in the computer, wherein the repository of data stores a plurality of records each having a one or more fields, the apparatus comprising:
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a conducting audit utility comprising; audit criteria accessing means for accessing audit criteria stored in the computer, wherein said audit criteria includes the number of items stored in the repository of data to be audited; sample generation means for generating a sample set of data based on said audit criteria, such that said sample set of data includes at least the number of items to audit as indicated in said audit criteria, wherein said sample set of data is selected by applying at least one of a focus group criteria, a filter criteria, a skew criteria, or an empty field indicator, wherein sample generation means includes, focus group means, responsive to said focus group criteria, for logically organizing a variety of fields within the repository of data whose combined accuracy should be analyzed as one unit, filter means, responsive to said filter criteria, for determining records and fields for inclusion in said sample set, empty field means, responsive to said empty field indicator, for not including empty fields in said sample set when said sample set is generated, and skew means, responsive to said skew criteria, for emphasizing one or more fields within a record such that sample set is biased towards said emphasized one or more fields, but does not limit said sample set to only emphasized fields, a reviewing sample utility comprising means for providing said sample set of data in a user readable format so that a reviewer can compare said sample set of data with the original data stored in the repository of data and tabulate a total number of errors in said sample set of data; and an error analysis utility comprising means for accepting said errors, and calculating audit results, whereby said audit results indicates accuracy values of said repository of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus in a computer based system for auditing a repository of data stored electronically in the computer, comprising:
a project manager facility comprising an audit criteria utility comprising; means for receiving audit criteria that includes at least one of a focus group criteria, a filter criteria, an empty field indicator, or a skew criteria; and means for defining a project according to said audit criteria; and
an audit facility comprising;a conducting audit utility comprising; means for initiating an audit; and sample generating means for generating a sample set of data comprising less than all of the stored data so as to be consistent with said audit criteria, wherein sample generating means includes, focus group means, responsive to said focus group criteria, for logically organizing a variety of fields within repository of data whose combined accuracy should be analyzed as one unit, filter means, responsive to said filter criteria, for determining records and fields field for inclusion said sample set, empty field means, responsive to said empty field indicator, for not including empty fields in said sample set when said sample set is generated, and skew means, responsive to said skew criteria, for emphasizing one or more fields within a record such that said sample set is biased towards said emphasized one or more fields, but does not limit said sample set to only emphasized field; a reviewing sample utility comprising; sample providing means for providing said sample set in a user readable format; and means for receiving feedback on the number of errors in said sample set; and an audit reporting and analysis utility comprising; calculating means for calculating an audit result from said sample set based on said feedback; and result providing means for providing said audit result in a user readable format. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In a computer based system having an audit facility utility, a method for auditing a repository of data stored electronically in the computer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting in the audit facility utility a sample set of data which comprises less than all of the stored data and which is consistent with audit criteria stored in the computer based system; and
wherein said sample set of data is selected by applying at least one of a focus group criteria, a filter criteria, a skew criteria, or an empty field indicator, which includes the steps of;(i) logically organizing, in responses to said focus group criteria, a variety of fields within the repository of data whose combined accuracy should be analyzed as one unit, (ii) determining, in response to said filter criteria, records and fields for inclusion in said sample set, (iii) not including, in response to said empty field indicator, empty fields in said sample set when said sample set is generated, and (iv) emphasizing, in response to said skew criteria, one or more fields within a record such that said sample set is biased towards said emphasized one or more fields, but does not limit said sample set to only emphasized fields; and (b) providing said sample set of data in a user readable format. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. In a computer based system having a project manager utility and an audit facility utility, a method for auditing a repository of data stored electronically in the computer, comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting audit criteria to the project manager facility utility; (b) selecting in the audit facility utility a sample set of data which comprises less than all of the stored data and which is consistent with said audit criteria, wherein said sample set of data is selected by applying at least one of a focus group criteria, a filter criteria, a skew criteria, or an empty field indicator, which includes the steps of; (i) logically organizing, in response to said focus group criteria, a variety or fields within the repository of data whose combined accuracy should be analyzed as one unit, (ii) determining, in response to said filter criteria, records and fields for inclusion in said sample set, (iii) including, in response to said empty field indicator, empty fields in said sample set when said sample set is generated, and (iv) emphasizing, in response to said skew criteria, one or more fields within a record such that said sample set is biased towards said emphasized one or more fields, but does not limit said sample set to only emphasized fields; (c) providing said sample set of data in a user readable format; (d) inputting error information to the audit facility utility based on a user review of the sample set of data; (e) determining in the audit facility utility an accuracy rate of the sample set of data and extrapolating said accuracy rate to the entire repository of data; and (f) providing a result determined in step (e) in a user readable format. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification