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Suspect Data Check

The Suspect Data Check processor checks an attribute value for a variety of common data entry 'cheats', such as entering 'aaa' in a name field.

Specifically, it can check for any or all of the following:

Repeating alphabetic characters (for example, 'aaa')
Repeating numeric characters (for example, '111')
Repeating non-alphanumeric characters (for example, '>>>')
Repeating patterns (for example, 'abcabc')
Minimum character length (for example, for short values such as 'x')

Use

Use the Suspect Data Check to check for common user ruses which result in suspect data in compulsory columns.

Where an empty value cannot be entered at the point of data entry, the user may enter a single character - for example a space, a full stop, or a random single character - to get past that point.

Alternatively, a single but repeating character may be entered - for example '9999' - or perhaps a repeating pattern of characters - for example 'asdasd'.

Note that this may not be the fault of the user, but of the business process and/or supporting applications. The user may not know or have available the complete set of data that the data entry application is requesting, but is required to enter the data into the system.

Configuration

Inputs

A single attribute that you wish to check for suspect data entries.

Options

Repeating alphabetic characters

Option

Type

Purpose

Default Value

Check

Yes/No

Drives whether or not to check for repeating alphabetic characters

Yes

Minimum repeat

Number

The minimum number of alphabetic characters that must be repeated for the check to identify a suspect entry

Note: This value must be at least 2

Repeating numeric characters

Option

Type

Purpose

Default Value

Check

Yes/No

Drives whether or not to check for repeating numeric characters

Yes

Minimum repeat

Number

The minimum number of numeric characters that must be repeated for the check to identify a suspect entry

Note:This value must be at least 2

Repeating non alphanumeric characters

Option

Type

Purpose

Default Value

Check

Yes/No

Drives whether or not to check for repeating alphanumeric characters

Yes

Minimum repeat

Number

The minimum number of numeric characters that must be repeated for the check to identify a suspect entry

Note: This value must be at least 2

Repeating patterns

Option	Type	Purpose	Default Value
Check	Yes/No	Drives whether or not to check for repeating patterns of characters	Yes
Minimum pattern length	Number	The minimum number of pattern characters that must be repeated for the check to identify a suspect entry	3 Note: This value must be at least 2
Minimum pattern repeat	Number	The number of times a pattern must occur for the data to be identified as suspect	2 Note: This value must be at least 2

Minimum length

Option

Type

Purpose

Default Value

Minimum length

Number

The minimum length, in characters, for values in this attribute.

Note that Null records are separately classified.

Outputs

Data attributes

None

Flags

Flag attribute	Purpose	Possible Values
SuspectData	Indicates which data passes the Suspect Data Check: Suspect Data, Valid Data and Null	Y/N/-

Publication to Dashboard

A Suspect Data Check's results may be published to the Dashboard.

The following interpretation of results is used by default:

Result	Dashboard Interpretation
Valid	Pass
Null	Pass
Suspect	Alert

Execution

Execution Mode	Supported
Batch	Yes
Real time Monitoring	Yes
Real time Response	Yes

Results Browsing

The Suspect Data Check produces a summary view of its results, showing the following statistics:

Statistic	Meaning
Suspect records	Records that were identified as having a suspect value in the attribute checked. Drill down to see a breakdown of the suspects by the check that identified them. Drill down again to see the records.
Valid records	Records that did not have a suspect value in the attribute checked
Null records	Records with a null value in the attribute checked

Output Filters

The following output filters are available from a Suspect Data Check:

Valid records
Suspect records
Records that were null in the attribute checked

Example

In this example, The Suspect Data Check is used to check a NAME attribute for suspect data entries:

Summary View

Drilldown on Alpha Repeats

Drilldown on Numeric Repeats