Which of the following best describes when a cross-reference should be created: a) only when a name change occurs; b) when multiple official names exist for the same entity; c) never; d) always.

• A. only when a name change occurs
• B. when multiple official names exist for the same entity
• C. never
• D. always

Answer: (B)

Cross-references link multiple official names to the same entity to improve findability and consistency in a records system. When an entity can be known by more than one official name—whether due to branding, mergers, language variants, or historical changes—the cross-reference ensures that someone searching any of those names will locate all related records. This supports authority control, prevents fragmentation of records, and helps users discover information regardless of which name they search for.

For example, a government agency might operate under a formal title in legal documents but be widely cited by an acronym or a translated version in public materials. By creating a cross-reference, both names point to the same set of records, so the search experience remains seamless.

If a name change occurs, it’s still important to link the old and new names, but the broader rule is to create cross-references whenever multiple official names exist for the same entity. The other options—never or always or only when a name change occurs—don’t fit because they either miss existing aliases, overburden the system with unnecessary links, or ignore the presence of multiple official names.