Checking the accuracy

of data
Section 1.5
 define validation and analyse a range of validation methods (including:
Define presence check, range check, type check, length check, format check and
check digit, lookup check, consistency check, limit check)

define verification and analyse verification methods (including: visual

Define

Learning
checking and double data entry)

Objectives Explain explain the need for both validation and verification

Define define proofreading

Data Validation
Validation
• DEFINITION: Validation aims to make sure that data
is sensible, reasonable, complete and within acceptable boundaries.
• Validation is one way of trying to reduce the number of errors in the
data being entered into your system.
• The validation is performed by the computer at the point when you
enter data.  It is the process of checking the data against the set of
validation rules which you set up when developing your new database
or spreadsheet system.
Validation
• It is critical that you understand what this definition means and can
repeat it when asked in an examination question. 
• Students regularly say in exam answers that ‘validation checks that the
data is correct’. 
• It does NOT!! 
• If you enter ‘Smithe’ instead of ‘Smith’ or ‘07/08/07’ instead of
‘08/07/07’ no amount of validation in the world will pick up that human
error.
• So while validation can help to reduce the number of errors when
entering data, it cannot stop them – be very clear about that.
Types of
Validation
Presence Check

• There might be an important piece of data

that you want to make sure is always
stored.
• For example, a school will always want to
know an emergency contact number, a
video rental store might always want to
know a customer's address, a wedding
dress shop might always want a record of
the brides wedding date.
Presence Check
• A presence check makes sure that a critical field cannot be left blank,
it must be filled in. If someone tries to leave the field blank then an
error message will appear and you won't be able to progress to another
record or save any other data which you have entered.
• The image above shows a typical online data entry form. The asterisk
to the left of the field usually means that you must fill it in, whereas
the absence of the asterisk in the mobile field indicates that this is
optional.
Range
Check
• A range check is
commonly used when
you are working with
data which consists of
numbers, currency or
dates/times.
• A range check allows
you to set suitable
boundaries:
Type Check
• When you begin to set up your new system you will choose the most
appropriate data type for each field.
• A type check will ensure that the correct type of data is entered into that field.
• For example, in a clothes shop, dress sizes may range from 8 to 18.  A number
data type would be a suitable choice for this data.  By setting the data type as
number, only numbers could be entered e.g. 10, 12, 14 and you would prevent
anyone trying to enter text such as ‘ten’ or ‘ten and a half’.
• Some data types can perform an extra type check. 
• For example, a date data type will ensure that a date you have entered can
actually exist e.g. it would not allow you to enter the date 31/02/07.
Length Check
• Sometimes you may have a set of data which always has the same number of characters.
• For example a UK landline telephone number has 11 characters.
• A length check could be set up to ensure that exactly 11 numbers are entered into the field.
This type of validation cannot check that the 11 numbers are correct but it can ensure that
10 or 12 numbers aren't entered.
• A length check can also be set up to allow characters to be entered within a certain range.
• For example, postcodes can be in the form of:
• CV45 2RE (7 without a space or 8 with a space) or
• B9 3TF (5 without a space or 6 with a space).
• So you could set a length check for postcode to accept data which has a minimum number
of 5 characters and a maximum number of 8.
Format Check
Lookup
• Where you have a field which only allows a limited list of items to be
entered then a lookup list can help to reduce errors.
• For instance, the image opposite shows a 'look-up' list being used in a
spreadsheet that only allows 8,10,11 or 12 to be entered.
Lookup Examples

- A SHOP MIGHT PUT THE DRESS - A CAR SHOWROOM MIGHT PUT - A VET MIGHT LIST THE MOST
SIZES INTO A LOOKUP LIST THE CAR MODELS INTO A POPULAR TYPES OF ANIMALS
LOOKUP LIST THAT THEY DEAL WITH
 - speed up data
entry because it is - improved accuracy
usually much faster because they
to pick from a list reduce the risk of
than to type each spelling mistakes

Benefits of
individual entry

Lookup However, using a

lookup validation
technique does not
- limit the options to
prevent someone
choose from by only
from entering the
presenting the
wrong data into the
required options
field and so
mistakes can still be
made.
Consistency Check
Limit Check
Check Digit
Common
Errors
Transcription Errors
• Whenever data is manually entered into the system there is a chance that an
error will be made.
• This might be because the person misreads what is written on the source
document or perhaps mis-hears what the customer tells them over the
telephone.  It might simply be down to the person rushing and not being
careful over which keys they press.
• Long codes made up of numbers or letters that have no particular meaning
to the person keying in the data are particularly vulnerable to error. 
• An example of a transcription error might be entering 'Smyth' instead of
'Smith'
 Transposition errors occur where
the person entering the data
accidentally changes the order
of numbers or letters.
Transpositio
n Errors
For example, 89 might be
entered as 98 or 'Smith' might
be entered as 'Smiht'
Data
Verification
 • DEFINITION: Verification means to check
Verificatio that the data on the original source
document is identical to the data that you
n have entered into the system or object
document.
Methods of Verification
• Entering the data twice. (Double Entry)
• Checking the data on the screen against the original paper document
(Visual Check)
• Printing out a copy of the data and comparing the printout to the
original paper document.
• Getting a helping hand
Need for Validation and Verification
Proof Reading