Data delivery
What makes a data feed ready to use?
Review identifiers, timestamps, missing values and schema changes before integrating a feed.
Give every record a stable identity
Agree which field or combination of fields identifies a record across deliveries. Decide how duplicates are resolved and whether a delivery contains a full snapshot or only changes.
Make time and missing values explicit
Distinguish when something happened from when it was observed. Specify the time zone and document how the feed represents unknown values, empty values and fields that do not apply.
Plan for changes before integration
Document field types and allowed values. Agree how new fields, renamed fields and breaking changes will be communicated. Test a representative file with the receiving system and include cases such as duplicates and missing values.