Single Source of Truth • cloudaims

Establishing a successful digital transformation path requires a correct understanding of the “single source of truth” principle by all means. Digitalization can be done on many different levels. But only a “single source of truth” concept can empower its results.

But what exactly is a “single source of truth“?

People often mistake this term for the single-responsibility principle in programming. Single responsibility requires every class in an application to have one unique purpose. This is why it is believed that every application should keep data separately.

However, this results in an information lockdown. When information access is limited to only the source application or user, it is locked in user email accounts, software licenses, desktops, or shared folders.

On the contrary, a single source of truth is only possible if you can establish a reliable “single source” for most users with minimum limitations.

This is why we always suggest companies ask the following questions before selecting their “single source of truth” application:

Do I need to install software to access data?
Will data always be up to date without any manual actions?
Can I view the data and the documents without leaving the application?
Does everyone see the same document / same information?

If you consider your answers to those questions carefully, you will understand how a single source of truth can help your business evolve.

Conclusion

The single Source of Truth concept is a must in today’s information management. Project data and documents are distributed among various locations, applications, and departments. SSOT helps you integrate information and documents into a single point that enables users to see everything more clearly.