Data processing (DV) refers to the organized handling of data volumes with the aim of obtaining information about these data volumes or changing these amounts of data. Data is recorded in data sets, processed by humans or machines according to a given procedure and output as a result. Systematic data processing is the basis for statistics, trade, technology, business, science and administration.
In ancient times, techniques were developed for the efficient handling of administrative tasks. Examples are the notch stick, cuneiform scripts and clay tablets, but also the knot script Quipu in Central America. Further refinement led to documents (e.g. forms, questionnaires, delivery notes) that were entered, processed and stored in tabular form in file boxes or accounts in a manner prescribed by law or work instructions.
Modern Data Processing
The pioneer of electromechanical data processing is Herman Hollerith, father of data processing, grandfather of IBM, who used punched cards to handle the data volumes of the 1890/1891 census in the USA. The tabulating machine developed for this purpose as well as the punch card sorter and the punch card puncher were completed over time by further machines such as the punch card mixer and the punch card puncher and the punch card technology was further improved. The basic operations of this level of technology can be generalized for all forms of data processing. For example, forms were/are counted in the residents’ registration office, sorted by alphabet, column values in the form are added, averages are calculated and statistics are compiled in tabular form by comparing completed forms.
---
Counting
Initially, Hollerith’s machines were a tool of statistics. In the census, they were able to capture, sort and process far more characteristics than a purely manual counting made possible for reasons of time alone. For example, data by gender, race, religion and hair color could be efficiently recorded, linked and evaluated.
Statistics were not only interesting for censuses. Insurance companies, banks, the economy and statistical authorities of the federal and state used these machines.
Addition, subtraction
With the tabulating machine, the machinery of the successor companies of Hollerith’s Tabulating Machine Company (1924 International Business Machines Corporation, IBM for short) learned in the 1920s the addition and subtraction. This opened up areas of responsibility such as accounting and materials management.
Multiplication, division
Multiplication and division have been documented since the mid-1930s,[2] which made it possible to automate accounting tasks such as billing, interest calculation and payroll.
Database
The age of database systems marked the IBM/370 system family at the beginning of the seventies. By clever way of saving, access to a data record was accelerated, there was no longer a need to selectively sort a punch card stack and possibly several times until subsets of the data stack up to the individual data record were incurred as a result.
Techniques such as indices accelerated access to individual data records, database structures ensured the linking of different data sources (be it address data including customer number with sales data by customer number).
The data of the punch card stacks were now stored in individual files or immediately in tables in one file. Database structures were created, and this made it possible to output data links much faster, i.e. almost simultaneously on one or more terminals. Data processing may involve various processes, including:
- Validation
- Sorting
- Summarization
- Aggregation
- Analysis
- Reporting
- Classification
