Kerndossiers
Kerndossiers is a term in data governance referring to the central, authoritative dataset that aggregates essential information about an entity—usually a person, organization, or project. It serves as the core reference file used to drive operations, analytics, and decision-making. The term combines Kern (core) with dossiers (files) and is used in some European organizations to emphasize a foundational data construct.
Typical contents include unique identifiers, core attributes, historical interactions, relationships to other entities, and access controls.
Governance assigns ownership, custodianship, and stewardship roles, along with defined creation, update, and retention processes. Access
Common applications include customer relationship management, citizen services, project portfolios, and research cohorts, where a single
Privacy, ethics, and compliance considerations are central. Organizations must minimize data collection, enforce consent where applicable,
See also: Dossier, Master data management, Data governance, Data lineage, Privacy by design, Interoperability.