What happens if invalid records are not handled during data processing?

Handling invalid records during data processing is crucial to ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the analysis results. If invalid records are not addressed, they can introduce errors or biases into the analysis. This can lead to misleading interpretations of the data, ultimately affecting decision-making processes reliant on this data. For example, if a dataset contains erroneous entries, such as out-of-range values or incorrect data types, and these records are not filtered out or corrected, the derived insights may suggest trends or patterns that do not actually exist. This can mislead stakeholders, resulting in poor business strategies or faulty conclusions.

The other options describe scenarios that do not accurately reflect the consequence of failing to handle invalid records. Not addressing errors can certainly impact processing time, as subsequent steps may struggle with the bad data. While some systems have the capability to auto-correct trivial errors, this is not a guaranteed or comprehensive solution. The idea of transferring invalid records to safe storage might seem plausible, but this does not resolve their potential impact on analysis and could still lead to confusion in future data processing efforts. Thus, option A best encapsulates the significant risk associated with neglecting invalid records.