The application change is a preventive Data Quality control because it prevents a known defect from being created in the first place.
A mandatory-field control ensures that records cannot be accepted without the required Product Identifier. This differs from a detective control, which would identify missing identifiers after records had already entered the system.
Preventive controls are generally preferable where the organization controls the point of data creation and the business rule is sufficiently clear. They reduce downstream cleansing, exception handling, reconciliation, and operational rework.
However, making the field technically mandatory is appropriate only if the business requirement genuinely applies to every relevant record. Governance and stewardship should confirm the rule before implementation. If certain product categories legitimately lack the identifier, the validation should incorporate those conditions instead of enforcing an overly broad requirement.
The Product Identifier may also link the transaction to governed Product Master Data, making integrity and consistency important alongside completeness.
DAMA's Data Quality framework emphasizes defining rules, detecting defects, implementing improvement, and integrating quality with Governance and Master Data disciplines rather than relying solely on after-the-fact cleansing.
Reference Topics: DAMA-DMBOK2 Chapter 13 — Preventive Controls; Completeness; Data Quality Improvement Lifecycle; Chapter 10 — Product Master Data; Governance.
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