preidentified

Preidentified is an adjective used to describe items, individuals, or records that have been identified before a given process or event. A preidentified element has already been assigned an identifier or categorized in advance, enabling faster routing, data linkage, or access control.

In data management and research, preidentified data include individuals or records that already bear unique identifiers, allowing linkage across datasets while supporting consistency. Such identification can raise privacy considerations and often involves governance measures such as consent, data minimization, and access controls. In security and information technology, preidentified users or devices have established credentials or tokens prior to authentication events, enabling streamlined login, authorization, or screening processes.

In project planning and procurement, preidentified risks, requirements, or vendors are considered at the outset, helping to shorten decision cycles but requiring careful evaluation to avoid bias or incomplete assessments. In logistics and operations, preidentified shipments or parts are tagged with known identifiers to improve tracking, inventory management, and traceability.

Examples of preidentified concepts include a hospital system using preidentified patient IDs for record linkage, a supply chain using preidentified tracking numbers for shipments, and a customer-relations database employing preidentified segments for targeting. Related concepts include identification, pre-registration, tagging, master data management, data governance, and anonymization.