Data preparation, provenance, and records
Prepare data without losing where it came from.
Reviewed: 2026-10-03
Source-based teaching example · Fictional data
Narration: Microsoft Mark · locally synthesized

00:00:00.000 — What you will learn

Prepare data without losing where it came from.

Visual description:
Prepare data without losing where it came from.

00:00:05.667 — The idea

Keep the original source and record your changes. Use only fields needed for the task. Made-up training records are different from real records with names removed.

Visual description:
Keep the original source and record your changes. Use only fields needed for the task. Made-up training records are different from real records with names removed.

00:00:19.042 — One useful term

Provenance. A record of where information came from and how it changed.

Visual description:
A record of where information came from and how it changed.

00:00:26.833 — A worked example

The training task counts roles and shifts. Three invented rows give two A/day records and one B/night record. IDs and personal notes are not needed for the counts.

Visual description:
The training task counts roles and shifts. Three invented rows give two A/day records and one B/night record. IDs and personal notes are not needed for the counts.

00:00:41.417 — Your turn to think

Is a real table with names removed automatically synthetic data? Pause and decide before continuing.

Visual description:
Is a real table with names removed automatically synthetic data?
Pause the video if you need more time.

00:00:58.875 — Why this answer works

No. Synthetic here means invented. Other fields can still reveal information about real people.

Visual description:
No. Synthetic here means invented. Other fields can still reveal information about real people.

00:01:08.542 — Check 1

Keep the original source available.

Visual description:
Keep the original source available.

00:01:13.542 — Check 2

Record each change and its reason.

Visual description:
Record each change and its reason.

00:01:18.417 — Check 3

Justify every retained field.

Visual description:
Justify every retained field.

00:01:23.417 — Now try a different case

Open the lesson and try its different practice case. Use every check in the full task. Watching alone does not mark the lesson complete.

Visual description:
Open the lesson
Try the new case
Check and revise
The full task and its requirements are in the linked lesson.