Before creating a linkage record what must you do?

Before creating a linkage record what must you do?

• A. Determine how two master files are networked together
• B. Install the necessary software
• C. Create a sample dataset
• D. Assign user permissions

Answer: (A)

Understanding how two master files are connected is the essential step because the linkage record captures the relationship and data flow between those files. You need to know which fields link the records, how they map (which keys, how updates propagate, and the type of relationship), and how a change in one file should affect the other. This mapping and connection detail is exactly what the linkage record encodes, so you must establish the network between the files first to define a correct and functional linkage. Installing software is a practical prerequisite for working in the system, but it isn’t part of defining the linkage itself. Creating a sample dataset is often a testing step you might do after the linkage is defined. Assigning user permissions deals with who can access or modify the linkage, not with how the two files are connected.

Understanding how two master files are connected is the essential step because the linkage record captures the relationship and data flow between those files. You need to know which fields link the records, how they map (which keys, how updates propagate, and the type of relationship), and how a change in one file should affect the other. This mapping and connection detail is exactly what the linkage record encodes, so you must establish the network between the files first to define a correct and functional linkage.

Installing software is a practical prerequisite for working in the system, but it isn’t part of defining the linkage itself. Creating a sample dataset is often a testing step you might do after the linkage is defined. Assigning user permissions deals with who can access or modify the linkage, not with how the two files are connected.