Data Glossary

The terms that come up in every migration and implementation conversation, defined without jargon so the whole project team can use them the same way.

Data

Term	Definition
API	A defined interface allowing one system to request or send data to another programmatically.
Audit trail	A retained, tamper-evident log of who accessed or changed data and when.
Batch processing	Moving records in scheduled groups rather than one at a time.
Connector	A prebuilt integration between two named platforms, maintained as a product.
Control total	An agreed count or sum used to verify a load moved exactly what it should have.
CSV	Comma-separated values — the most common interchange format for system exports.
Cutover	The controlled window in which processing moves from the legacy system to the new one.
Data cleansing	Correcting or removing inaccurate, incomplete, or improperly formatted records.
Data dictionary	The authoritative list of every field in a dataset with its definition, type, source, and owner.
Data extraction	Pulling records out of a source system in a structured, repeatable format.
Data governance	The ownership, rules, and review process that keep data accurate and defensible over time.
Data integration	Keeping two or more systems in agreement through an ongoing exchange of records.
Data lake	A store that holds raw data in its native format until a use case requires shaping.
Data lineage	The traceable path of a data element from origin through every transformation to its destination.
Data mart	A subject-specific slice of a warehouse serving one function, such as HR or finance.
Data migration	Moving data from a legacy system into a new one as part of a defined cutover.
Data owner	The accountable business leader who approves access, definitions, and changes to a dataset.
Data profiling	Examining a source to learn its actual contents, ranges, gaps, and anomalies.
Data quality	The degree to which data is accurate, complete, consistent, timely, and fit for its use.
Data retention	The defined period a dataset is kept before it is archived or destroyed.
Data steward	The person responsible for the day-to-day quality and definitions of a given dataset.
Data transformation	Converting extracted data into the structure, format, and code values the destination requires.
Data validation	Automated and manual checks confirming loaded data matches the source in count, total, and logic.
Data warehouse	A structured, query-optimized store for reporting across integrated sources.
Deduplication	Identifying and resolving records that represent the same person or entity.
Delimiter	The character separating fields in a flat file, commonly a comma, pipe, or tab.
Effective dating	Storing records with the dates a value was true, so history reflects what was accurate at the time.
ELT	Extract, load, transform — raw data lands first and is shaped in the destination.
Encryption at rest	Protecting stored data so it cannot be read without the key, typically AES-256.
Encryption in transit	Protecting data as it moves across a network, typically using TLS.
ETL	Extract, transform, load — the data is shaped before it lands in the destination.
Field mapping	The documented relationship between a source field and its destination field, including any conversion rule.
Flat file	A plain text export with one record per line and no relational structure.
Foreign key	A field that references the primary key of another table, linking related records.
Full load	Replacing the destination dataset with a complete refresh from the source.
Golden record	The single agreed version of an entity assembled from multiple sources.
Idempotency	A property ensuring that repeating the same operation produces no additional effect.
Incremental load	Transferring only records changed since the last run.
Master data	Core shared entities — employees, locations, cost centers — used across multiple systems.
Metadata	Data about data — field types, formats, sources, and update times.
Normalization	Standardizing values so the same real-world thing is represented identically everywhere.
Parallel testing	Running the new system alongside the old for one or more cycles and comparing outputs.
PII	Personally identifiable information — data that can identify a specific individual.
Primary key	The field that uniquely identifies each record in a table.
Reconciliation	Comparing control totals between source and destination to prove nothing was lost or duplicated.
Record matching	Applying rules to determine whether two records describe the same entity.
Reference data	Controlled code lists such as pay codes, state codes, or job families used to classify records.
REST	A common API style using standard HTTP methods and structured request and response bodies.
Schema	The structural definition of tables, fields, types, and relationships in a dataset.
Staging environment	A non-production copy where loads are tested before touching live data.
Transactional data	Event-level records such as pay runs, time punches, or benefit elections.
Webhook	An outbound event notification sent by a system the moment something happens.

HR

Term	Definition
ADA accommodation	An adjustment enabling a qualified individual with a disability to perform a role.
Applicant tracking system	The system managing job postings, candidates, and hiring workflow.
Attrition	Employees leaving the organization, whether voluntarily or not.
Benefits eligibility	The rules determining which employees may enroll in which plans and when.
COBRA	Continuation of group health coverage after a qualifying event, at the participant's cost.
Compensation band	The minimum, midpoint, and maximum pay range assigned to a job level.
Cost per hire	Total recruiting spend divided by the number of hires in a period.
E-Verify	The electronic system some employers use to confirm work authorization.
EEO-1	The annual federal report of workforce demographics required of larger employers.
Employee engagement	The measured degree of commitment and discretionary effort across a workforce.
Employee lifecycle	The stages an employee moves through from applicant to alumnus.
Employee relations	The function handling workplace concerns, investigations, and conflict resolution.
Exempt	A role exempt from overtime requirements under applicable wage and hour law.
FLSA	The Fair Labor Standards Act, governing minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping.
FMLA	The Family and Medical Leave Act, providing eligible employees protected unpaid leave.
FTE	Full-time equivalent — headcount expressed in full-time-hour units.
Handbook	The written record of the policies governing employment at an organization.
HCM	Human capital management — a broader suite covering HR, payroll, talent, and time.
Headcount	The number of people employed, counted individually regardless of hours.
HRIS	Human resources information system — the system of record for employee data.
I-9	The federal form verifying an employee's identity and authorization to work.
Job architecture	The structured framework of job families, levels, and titles across an organization.
Job classification	Assigning a role to a defined level, family, and pay structure.
Leave of absence	An approved period away from work, paid or unpaid, with defined return terms.
Multi-state workforce	Employees working across states, triggering varied tax, leave, and labor obligations.
Non-exempt	A role entitled to overtime pay for hours worked beyond the statutory threshold.
Offboarding	The process of closing out an employee's access, pay, benefits, and records at exit.
Onboarding	The process of bringing a new hire from offer acceptance to productive work.
Open enrollment	The annual window in which employees elect or change benefit coverage.
Org chart	The mapped reporting structure of an organization.
Pay equity	Ensuring comparable roles are paid comparably, absent legitimate differentiating factors.
Performance review	A structured evaluation of an employee's results and behaviors over a defined period.
Policy acknowledgment	An employee's recorded confirmation that a policy was received and read.
Progressive discipline	A documented escalation of corrective action prior to termination.
PTO accrual	The rate at which paid time off is earned across a pay period or year.
Span of control	The number of direct reports a manager carries.
Succession planning	Identifying and preparing internal candidates for critical roles.
Time to fill	Days from requisition approval to offer acceptance.
Total rewards	The full value of pay, benefits, and non-cash programs offered to employees.
Turnover rate	Separations in a period divided by average headcount for that period.
Workforce planning	Forecasting the roles, skills, and headcount an organization will need.

Payroll

Term	Definition
1099-NEC	The annual statement of compensation paid to a non-employee contractor.
Accrual	An amount earned but not yet paid, recognized in the period it was incurred.
Amended return	A corrected tax filing submitted after an error is found in an original.
Blended rate	A weighted average hourly rate used when an employee works at multiple rates.
Certified payroll	Weekly wage reporting required on many government-funded construction contracts.
Deduction code	A code classifying an amount withheld, such as a benefit premium or garnishment.
Direct deposit	Electronic transfer of net pay to an employee's bank account.
Double time	A premium rate of twice base pay, required by some state laws or agreements.
Earnings code	A code classifying a type of pay, such as regular, overtime, or bonus.
FICA	Social Security and Medicare taxes, shared between employee and employer.
Form 940	The annual federal return reporting unemployment tax liability.
Form 941	The quarterly federal return reporting withheld income and FICA taxes.
FUTA	Federal unemployment tax, paid by the employer on a limited wage base.
Garnishment	A court- or agency-ordered withholding remitted to a third party.
General ledger mapping	Assigning payroll amounts to the accounts finance uses to post them.
Gross pay	Total earnings before any taxes or deductions are applied.
Imputed income	The taxable value of a non-cash benefit added to an employee's wages.
Local tax jurisdiction	A city, county, or district levying its own payroll tax.
Medicare surtax	The additional Medicare withholding applied above a statutory wage threshold.
Multi-state taxation	Applying the correct withholding when work and residence states differ.
Net pay	Take-home pay after all taxes and deductions.
Off-cycle payroll	A pay run outside the normal schedule, used for corrections or terminations.
Overtime	Premium pay owed for hours worked beyond the statutory threshold.
Pay card	A reloadable card used to deliver wages to employees without bank accounts.
Pay frequency	How often employees are paid — weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly.
Pay period	The span of time covered by a single paycheck.
Payroll audit	A structured review of pay data, filings, and controls for accuracy and compliance.
Payroll funding	Transferring cash to cover net pay, taxes, and remittances before a run settles.
Payroll register	The detailed record of every employee's earnings, taxes, and deductions for a run.
Post-tax deduction	An amount withheld after taxes are calculated, with no effect on taxable wages.
Pre-tax deduction	An amount withheld before taxes are calculated, reducing taxable wages.
Reciprocity agreement	An arrangement letting an employee be taxed only in their state of residence.
Retroactive pay	Wages owed for a prior period because of a late rate change or correction.
Shift differential	Additional pay for working a less desirable shift.
SUTA	State unemployment tax, assessed at an experience-rated employer rate.
Taxable wage base	The annual earnings ceiling above which a given tax no longer applies.
W-2	The annual statement of an employee's wages and withheld taxes.
W-4	The federal form on which an employee sets their withholding elections.
Wage assignment	A voluntary employee authorization to withhold and remit part of their pay.
Withholding	Tax amounts deducted from wages and remitted to taxing authorities.
Year-end processing	Closing the tax year, reconciling wages, and producing W-2s and 1099s.

Project Management

Term	Definition
Backlog	The prioritized list of work not yet scheduled into an iteration.
Build phase	Configuring, developing, and assembling the solution described in design.
Change order	A written, priced agreement to modify scope after work has begun.
Configuration workbook	The vendor-supplied document capturing every system setting a client must decide.
Critical path	The sequence of dependent tasks that determines the earliest possible finish date.
Defect log	The tracked list of issues found in testing, with severity, owner, and status.
Deployment plan	The step-by-step sequence, owners, and timing for moving to production.
Design phase	Translating requirements into a documented target configuration and process.
Discovery	The early phase spent understanding current state, constraints, and objectives.
Gantt chart	A timeline view of tasks, durations, and dependencies.
Go-live	The date the new system becomes the system of record for live processing.
Hypercare	The heightened support period immediately following go-live.
Issue log	The tracked list of active problems requiring resolution.
Lessons learned	The structured post-project review of what worked and what should change.
Milestone	A dated checkpoint marking completion of a significant body of work.
Project charter	The document authorizing the project and naming its objectives and sponsor.
RACI	A matrix naming who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed.
Requirements gathering	Collecting and documenting what the business needs the solution to do.
Risk register	The tracked list of potential problems with likelihood, impact, and mitigation.
Rollback plan	The predefined path back to the prior system if a cutover fails.
Scope creep	Uncontrolled growth of project scope without matching time or budget.
Sprint	A fixed-length iteration in which a defined set of work is completed.
Stakeholder	Anyone affected by or able to influence the outcome of the project.
Statement of Work	The document defining scope, deliverables, timeline, and responsibilities for an engagement.
Steering committee	The executive group that resolves escalations and approves major decisions.
Test script	A written sequence of steps and expected results used to verify a function.
UAT	User acceptance testing — business users confirm the system meets requirements.

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