Data Processing System

Data Processing System

Data processing is any process that a computer program does to enter data and summarise, analyses or otherwise convert data into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer. It involves recording, analysing, sorting, summarising, calculating, disseminating and storing data. Because data are most useful when well-presented and actually informative, data-processing systems are often referred to as information systems. Nevertheless, the terms are roughly synonymous, performing similar conversions; data-processing systems typically manipulate raw data into information, and likewise information systems typically take raw data as input to produce information as output.

Data processing may or may not be distinguished from data conversion, when the process is merely to convert data to another format, and does not involve any data manipulation.

A software code compiler (e.g., for Fortran or ALGOL) is an example of a software data processing system. The software data processing system makes use of a (general purpose) computer in order to complete its functions. A software data processing system is normally a standalone unit of software, in that its output can be directed to any number of other (not necessarily as yet identified) information processing subsystems.