Validating Data

Learn how to validate data in your automations.

Overview

Data validation ensures that a process’ data is appropriate and logical, allowing it to be trusted for decision-making. In Kognitos, you can use the ensure keyword to specify conditions for data validation. When data cannot be validated, the automation will raise a question, allowing you to review, edit, and confirm values in a single location.


Writing Validation Logic

ensure

The ensure keyword is used within a validation statement that:

  • Begins with ensure
  • Is indented within validate the following
  • Uses an operation that:
    • Operates on a data element (singular or plural)
    • Evaluates to true to false (boolean operation)

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Supported Types

The ensure keyword currently supports verification for text and numeric data only.

validate the following

The phrase validate the following groups multiple validation statements together. When a validation fails, the data from all statements will be aggregated into a single view.

Examples

1. Validating Text Data

the first name is "Jennifer"
validate the following
  ensure the first name is started by "Jenn"

2. Validating Numeric Data

the quantity is 10
validate the following
  ensure the quantity is greater than 5

3. Validating Multiple Data Elements

the username is "kognitosuser"
the password is "123456789!"
the user age is 20
the user roles are "viewer", "editor", "commenter"
validate the following
  # True:
  ensure the username is started by "k"
  ensure the password is ended by "!"
  ensure the user roles contains "editor"
  # False:
  ensure the user age is greater than 21

Evaluation

Each validation statement evaluates to Condition Met (true) or Condition Not Met (false).

The automation proceeds when all validation statements have a Condition Met. However, if any statement has a Condition Not Met, the system raises a question, requiring you to provide guidance to proceed.

Skipped Statements

A validation statement is marked as Skipped when the syntax is invalid. To avoid this, ensure the operation is a valid boolean operation supported in Kognitos.

For example, the statement above is skipped because the use of "has" is not supported in a Kognitos operation. Instead, the validation statement could be written using the contains keyword: ensure the vegetables contains "broccoli".


Providing Guidance

When a validation statement within validate the following has a Condition Not Met, a question is asked to Please review the following facts.

Reviewing Data

Data is listed for review in the same order it appears in the validation statements. For conditions that are not met, a message will appear below the data value in red, stating the failed validation.

Manually Editing

You can manually edit and override data values as needed.

Finalizing Your Review

Confirm your review by checking the box labeled "I have reviewed all values and they are accurate". Then, click Submit.


Spot Check Percentage

The spot check percentage controls the likelihood of a question being raised when all the validation statements evaluate to true. The percentage does not represent accuracy or error rate; it controls the probability of triggering a question.

Syntax

the department's spot check percentage is <percentage>

Behavior

  • If any validation statement fails, a question is always raised.
  • If all validation statements pass, a question is raised based on the spot check percentage.
    • Example: If the spot check percentage is 30, then there is a 30% chance that a question is raised when all the validation statements evaluate to true.

Example

In this example, there is a 50% chance that a question is still raised for review, since both validation statements evaluate to true.

the book name is "Happy Automations"
the book rating is 7.8
the department's spot check percentage is 50
validate the following
  ensure the book name starts with "Happy"
  ensure the book rating > 5