In the context of data warehouses, what does structured data refer to?

Structured data refers to information that is highly organized and formatted in a way that makes it easily searchable and interpretable by computers. This includes data that exists in fixed fields within a record or file, such as entries in a database table consisting of rows and columns. The defined format of structured data allows for efficient data entry, retrieval, and analysis, facilitating tasks in data warehouses such as querying and reporting.

Structured data stands in contrast to unstructured data, which lacks a predefined format and is often more difficult to analyze. While other types like real-time data, unorganized data, or anonymized data can exist, they do not capture the essential characteristic of structured data, which is its organized and systematic nature. This clarity and organization make structured data foundational for business analytics and decision-making processes.