Data quality is a measure of a data set’s condition based on factors such as accuracy, completeness, consistency, reliability and validity. Measuring data quality can help organizations identify errors and inconsistencies in their data and assess whether the data fits its intended purpose.

Data quality is important because it directly impacts the accuracy and reliability of information used for decision-making. Quality data is key to making accurate, informed decisions. While all data has some level of “quality,” a variety of characteristics and factors determines the degree of data quality (high-quality versus low-quality).