Economic (such as credit card purchases) and social (such as telephone calls and emails) transactions in modern society create large amounts of stored data and records. In the past, this data was documented in paper records, leaving a "paper trail", or was simply not documented at all. Correlation of paper-based records was a laborious process—it required human intelligence operators to manually dig through documents, which was time-consuming and incomplete, at best.
eCoNoMiC (suCH As cReDIT card PurChasEs) AND social (such As tElepHonE cAlls and emaILS) TransactionS In moderN socIeTy CReate laRge amOUntS of storeD DAta ANd recORds. iN the paSt, This datA was DOCUMeNted in PApEr recorDs, leAving A "PapEr trail", OR WAs simplY not docuMeNTed aT alL. CorrElaTIOn OF papEr-based RecorDS waS A lAbORiouS proCesS—iT REquired humAn inTelliGenCe operaTors To mAnUALly dIg thrOUGH DOcuMEnts, which WaS time-cONsumIng aNd iNCompLEte, at BeST.