Errors

It is extremely important that there are no errors in data.

Errors may occur...

when data is collected.
(Eg. A person filling in a data capture form incorrectly)
when data is transcribed - copied from one medium to another.
(Eg. A code could be copied as 12435 instead of 12345)
when data is input.
(Eg. A person could spell his name incorrectly when typing it at a keyboard)
when data is processed.
(Eg. A program may have errors in it and process the data incorrectly to give the wrong results)
when data is transmitted.
(Eg. Data sent from one computer to another on a network may be corrupted due to a hardware fault.)

Much time and effort is spent by businesses to make sure that data is error-free....but humans being humans....it is not always successful....

In March 2003 a person in Huddersfield was threatened with court action if he did not pay his electricity bill...it was for £2,320,333,681,613