Dataelementit

Dataelementit is a term used in information technology to denote the smallest unit of data that carries a defined meaning within a system. It is not tied to a single formal standard and may appear as a compound or coined term in data modeling discussions, sometimes overlapping with data element or attribute concepts.

Typically, a dataelementit includes a name or identifier, a data type (such as integer, string, or date), a value domain or allowed set of values, and constraints like length or nullability. It is commonly accompanied by metadata such as a formal definition, origin, ownership, and data stewardship notes, and may be registered in a data dictionary or metadata registry.

In data modeling and data governance, dataelementit describes the semantic unit stored in a piece of data (for example, a column in a table or a data item in a record). It emphasizes meaning and governance over physical storage details, although it often corresponds to a physical field in a database.

Practical uses include database design, data integration, reporting, and regulatory compliance. A dataelementit example might be customer_email with type string, length 254, and a rule enforcing a valid email format; another could be order_date with type date and a rule preventing future dates.

While not a formal standard, the dataelementit concept aligns with common data governance practices such as maintaining a data dictionary, supporting data lineage, and enabling consistent semantics across systems.

Related topics include data element, data dictionary, metadata, data model, and data governance.