An analyst is cleaning employee contact data collected from multiple regional systems. The phone number field appears as 555-123-4567, (555) 123-4567, or +1 555 123 4567. The analyst needs to unify these values into a single standardized format but also keep a way to verify the original entries if the help-desk reports mismatches later. Which data-transformation approach best meets both requirements?
Keep the original data but adjust parts of the numbers step-by-step
Store the reformatted numbers in a new column alongside the existing column
Reformat phone numbers at the end of the pipeline and discard raw data
Replace the original records while reformatting numbers
Placing the reformatted version in a separate column helps preserve the initial data for verification or troubleshooting. Overwriting existing data removes the ability to compare older data with the new standardized formats. Delaying transformations to a later stage can cause misaligned information if earlier operations rely on consistent formats. Splitting transformations in steps may produce inconsistent data if partial changes happen multiple times.
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Why is it important to preserve the original data when reformatting phone numbers?
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What are some common methods to store the reformatted data alongside the original?
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How does reformatting at the end of the pipeline pose risks to data consistency?