A data processing system is a combination of machines and people that for a set of inputs produces a defined set of outputs.

[1] The inputs and outputs are interpreted as data, facts, information, ... depending on the interpreter's relation to the system. Data processing is "the collection and manipulation of items of data to produce meaningful information."[1] Data processing is distinct from word processing, which manipulates te t rather than data.[!] "t is a subset of information processing, "the change #processing$ of information in any manner detectable by an obser%er." Data processing may in%ol%e %arious processes, including& 'alidation ( )nsuring that supplied data is "clean, correct and useful." *orting ( "arranging items in some se+uence and,or in different sets." *ummari-ation ( reducing detail data to its main points. Aggregation ( combining multiple pieces of data. Analysis ( the "collection, organi-ation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data.". .eporting ( list detail or summary data or computed information.

Manual data processing[edit]

Although widespread use of the term data processing dates only from the nineteen/fifties[0] data processing functions ha%e been performed manually for millennia. 1or e ample boo22eepingin%ol%es functions such as posting transactions and producing reports li2e the balance sheet and the cash flow statement. 3ompletely manual methods were augmented by the application ofmechanical or electronic calculators. A person whose 4ob it was to perform calculations manually or using a calculator was called a "computer". The 1567 8nited *tates 3ensus schedule was the first to gather data by indi%idual rather than household. A number of +uestions could be answered by ma2ing a chec2 in the appropriate bo on the form. 1rom 1567 through 1557 the 3ensus 9ureau employed "a system of tallying, which, by reason of the increasing number of combinations of classifications re+uired, became increasingly comple . :nly a limited number of combinations could be recorded in one tally, so it was necessary to handle the schedules 6 or ; times, for as many independent tallies." [<] ""t too2 o%er = years to publish the results of the 1557 census" [6] using manual processing methods.

Automatic data processing[edit]

The term automatic data processing was applied to operations performed by means of unit record e+uipment, such as >erman >ollerith's application of punched card e+uipment for the 15?7 8nited *tates 3ensus. "8sing >ollerith's punchcard e+uipment, the 3ensus :ffice was able to complete tabulating most of the 15?7 census data in ! to 0 years, compared with = to 5 years for the 1557 census. ... "t is also estimated that using >erman >ollerith's system sa%ed some @6 million in processing costs"[6] #in 15?7 dollars$ e%en with twice as many +uestions as in 1557.

Electronic data processing[edit]

3omputeri-ed data processing, or )lectronic data processing represents the further e%olution, with the computer ta2ing the place of se%eral independent pieces of e+uipment. The 3ensus

9ureau first made limited use of electronic computers for the 1?67 8nited *tates 3ensus, using a 8A"'A3 " system,[<] deli%ered in 1?6!.

Further evolution[edit]
The term data processing has mostly been subsumed under the newer and somewhat more general term information technology #"T$. "Data processing" has ac+uired a negati%e connotation, suggesting use of older technologies. As an e ample, in 1??; the Data Processing Management Association #DBCA$ changed its name to Association of Information Technology Professionals. Ae%ertheless, the terms are roughly synonymous.

Commercial data processing[edit]

Main article: Electronic data processing 3ommercial data processing in%ol%es a large %olume of input data, relati%ely few computational operations, and a large %olume of output. 1or e ample, an insurance company needs to 2eep records on tens or hundreds of thousands of policies, print and mail bills, and recei%e and post payments.

Data analysis[edit]
Main article: Data analysis "n a science or engineering field, the terms data processing and information systems are considered too broad, and the more speciali-ed term data analysis is typically used. Data analysis ma2es use of speciali-ed and highly accurate algorithms and statistical calculations that are less often obser%ed in the typical general business en%ironment. :ne di%ergence of culture between data processing and data analysis is shown by the numerical representations generally usedD "n data processing, measurements are typically stored asintegers, fi ed/point or binary/coded decimal representations of numbers, whereas the ma4ority of measurements in data analysis are stored as floating/point representations of rational numbers. 1or data analysis, pac2ages li2e *B** or *A*, or their free counterparts such as DAB, gretl or B*BB are often used.

Types of data processing systems[edit]

Scientific data processing[edit]
*cientific data processing "usually in%ol%es a great deal of computation #arithmetic and comparison operations$ upon a relati%ely small amount of input data, resulting in a small %olume of output."[!]

Commercial data processing[edit]

3ommercial data processing "in%ol%es a large %olume of input data, relati%ely few computational operations, and a large %olume of output."[!] Accounting programs are the prototypical e amples of data processing applications.

Data analysis[edit]

"Data analysis is a body of methods that help to describe facts, detect patterns, de%elop e planations, and test hypotheses."[0] 1or e ample, data analysis might be used to loo2 at sales and customer data to "identify connections between products to allow for cross selling campaigns."[<]

Examples[edit]
Simple example[edit]
A %ery simple e ample of a data processing system is the process of maintaining a chec2 register. TransactionsE chec2s and depositsE are recorded as they occur and the transactions are summari-ed to determine a current balance. Conthly the data recorded in the register is reconciled with a hopefully identical list of transactions processed by the ban2. A more sophisticated record 2eeping system might further identify the transactionsE for e ample deposits by source or chec2s by type, such as charitable contributions. This information might be used to obtain information li2e the total of all contributions for the year. The important thing about this e ample is that it is a system, in which, all transactions are recorded consistently, and the same method of ban2 reconciliation is used each time.

Elements of an Electronic Data Processing (EDP) System

A.

.efers to the physical e+uipment or components of an electronic data processing system. Separate devices that constitute a hard#are$

A!D"A!E.

1.

Cemory system where data and instructions are stored.

!. "nput,output de%ices for communication with the en%ironment of the system.

F%&! '()ES %F F&*C'+%*A, &*+'S

-. CE*'!A, )!%CESS+*. &*+' / The "brains" of the computer system. A. Control &nit / super%ises or monitors the functions performed by the entire computer system according to conditions set forth by the stored program. /. Arithmetic0,ogic &nit / performs operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and di%ision, as well as mo%ing, shifting, and comparing data.

C. Memory &nit / somewhat li2e an electronic filing cabinet capable of holding data or instructions. T>is unit is a random/access storage de%ice consisting of thousands of storage locations, each of which can be directly reached by the control unit.

Cemory is re+uired by the computer because 1. The data need to be stored in order to be a%ailable when it is re+uired. !. The instruction need to be stored so that they can be used again and again without ha%ing ot enter them each time through the input unit. %)E!A'+%*S )E!F%!MED /( ' E C)& -. +nput %peration / the 3B8 signals an input de%ice to read data. 1. )rocessing %peration Data transfer %peration / it can mo%e data from the input area to the output area. Arithmetic %peration / it can add, multiply, subtract, and di%ide +uantities. ,ogic %peration / "t can test or perform simple decisions such as determining if a number is less than, e+ual to, or greater than another. 0. %utput %peration / causes information to be transmitted from the :utput area, pro%ided for by each program, to an :utput de%ice where it is written out or recorded.

123.. +*)&'0%&')&' &*+'S. These are used to pro%ide a lin2 between the machine and its users. There units feed data into and retrie%e data from the 3B8. '#o types of primary storage -. +nternal Memory / contained in the silicon chip and can hold instructions and data which the computer is currently wor2ing on or information which the 3B8 needs to wor2 %ery rapidly because the speed of the 3B8 is %ery high and ac+uired information to be readily a%ailable. 1 types of memory chips 1. !%M C +) / !ead %nly Memory chip. "t ne%er forgets and the information stored can only be read but cannot be added or rubbed out.

2. !AM C +) / !andom Access Memory chip. Aew information can be recorded, read then rubbed out when no longer needed. :nce the computer is switched off, .AC forgets e%erything.

1. External Memory / information written in this form stays fore%er and can be wiped off and the same area can be used to store new information.

4. A&5+,+A!( %! SEC%*DA!( S'%!A.E &*+' / e.g. Tape bac2up, Dis2ettes, >ard Dis2 ,3ompact Dis2

/. S%F'"A!E / all programs that go%ern the operation of a computer and

ma2e the hardware runs. Two general categories of software& -. Application Soft#are / the general term for programs that perform specific user/ oriented tas2s, such as word/processing and spreadsheet applications. 1. Systems soft#are / the general term for programs that direct hardware/related tas2s. %peration System / the collection of program that super%ise all the acti%ity ta2es place within a computer.

C. )E!S%**E, / refer to the people who wor2 with the computer so that
it can be used to find solutions to problems, and also refers to the persons who use the information generated by the computer.

data entry
The entering of names, addresses and other information into a data storage and retrie%al system. Data can be entered %ia manual 2eying, electronic data transfer or by scanning.

data entry
The process of entering data into a computeri-ed database or spreadsheet. Data entry can be performed by an indi%idual typing at a 2eyboard or by a machine entering data electronically.

Computer Application in Data Processing,

It is concerned with abstracting information from large volumes of data. For example, production manager is asked by MD of an organization to suggest ways of controlling production costs. Details like inventory items, description, uantity constitute data. !usiness Data "rocessing #!D"$ is a ma%or application of computer where huge uantity of data forms the input for processing the results in collapsing data into a small uantity of meaningful information to users. For processing the large amount of data, human capabilities fall short, therefore, computers are used to process these type of data. &'!'(, a programming language was used in )*+,s for business data processing. -hus, data processing is the execution of systematic se uence of operations upon data to transform it into information.

Data processing involves a number of transactions and file maintenance in order to provide a database for generating and providing information to users at management levels. &omputers are used to make these transactions and processing simpler. .owever, there is a proper procedure that is adopted to generate the desired results. Following is the process for Data processing/

&omputer structures the data in the form of vouchers, etc. It stores the data for further processing. More often, computers are used to carry out series of operations on the data to generate a niche data. Different types of operations are0can be performed on the data like aggregation, summarization, calculation, etc,1 which depends on the type and uality of the information re uired.

Information Processing: Information processing 2c uisition, recording, organization, retrieval, display, and dissemination of information. -oday the term usually refers to computer3based operations. Information processing consists of locating and capturing information, using software to manipulate it into a desired form, and outputting the data. 2n Internet search engine is an example of an information3processing tool, as is any sophisticated information3retrieval system. See also data processing. Information processing is the change #processing$ of information in any manner detectable by an observer. 2s such, it is a process which describes everything which happens #changes$ in the universe, from the falling of a rock #a change in position$ to the printing of a text file from a digital computer system. In the latter case, an information processor is changing the form of presentation of that text file.