Which term is defined as 'Guidelines for data management and usage'?

• A. Records Management
• B. Manual System
• C. Policies
• D. Automatic System

Answer: (C)

Guidelines for data management and usage are called policies. Policies establish formal rules that govern how data should be handled—who can access it, how it’s stored and protected, how it’s shared, and how long it’s retained—ensuring actions align with legal, regulatory, and organizational standards. This makes policies the best fit for the description because they provide the framework that guides everyday data practices and decisions. Records management focuses on the lifecycle of records, including retention and destruction; manual and automatic systems describe how processes are carried out rather than the governing rules themselves, so they don’t capture the idea of overarching data guidelines.