Data Validation
Data validation is the process of ensuring that the data has been cleaned up to ensure the accuracy and usability of the data. It uses routines, often called “verification rules,” “validation constraints,” or “control routines,” to verify the accuracy, validity, and security of data entered into the system. Rules can be implemented in the data dictionary through automated tools or by adding explicit validation logic to the computer and its application.
This is different from trying to prove or disprove the correctness of an algorithm when applying a specification or feature.
The purpose of data validation is to provide some well-defined guarantee for the adequacy and consistency of data in an automated system or application. Data validation rules can be defined and developed using different methodologies and applied in different contexts. They can be enforced using declarative data integrity rules or procedural-based business rules.
Please note that data verification guarantees may not necessarily include accuracy and that data entry errors, such as misspellings, may be valid. Other office and/or computer controls may be used to reduce system inaccuracies.
