DA0-002 Visualization and Reporting Practice Question
A financial analyst is preparing a report that must comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act. What is the most critical requirement for this report?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
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Audit trail
SOX requires audit trails to ensure the integrity and traceability of financial data for compliance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Row-level security
Why it's wrong here
Row-level security filters which rows each user may query; SOX instead demands verifiable financial reporting integrity, typically change tracking and audit trails. RLS is tempting because it restricts data access by user context, which suits multi-tenant or departmental reporting where users must see only their own region's records.
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Data anonymization
Why it's wrong here
SOX mandates accurate, auditable financial reporting with retention and integrity controls; anonymisation would obscure the accountable figures auditors require. It is tempting because anonymisation supports privacy regulations such as GDPR, but SOX centres on traceable financial data, not de-identification.
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Data dictionary
Why it's wrong here
A data dictionary documents column meanings and lineage; SOX compliance hinges on demonstrable data integrity and auditability of financial figures, not metadata documentation. It tempts because dictionaries support governance and impact analysis, which suits data-catalogue or onboarding scenarios rather than regulatory reporting controls.
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Audit trail
Why this is correct
An audit trail provides an immutable, timestamped record of who accessed or altered financial data, which directly satisfies SOX's requirement for verifiable internal controls over financial reporting. Unlike confidentiality or availability controls, this traceability is what auditors examine to evidence compliance, making it the critical requirement here.
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