Data Processing Logic

In the previous chapter, we defined business logic as the part of a process that determines the next state. To make that decision, business logic needs information that is clear, consistent, and relevant.

However, the data available to a process is often raw: it comes from different sources, has different formats, and may contain gaps or inconsistencies.

Data processing logic transforms raw data into decision-ready information.

Why This Layer Exists

Imagine a receptionist identifying a patient. The system may need to look in multiple places:

• The local clinic database
• An insurance system
• A government health card service

Even if each source responds successfully, the results still may not be directly usable by business logic. Names may be written differently, identifiers may not match, and important fields may be missing.

Before business logic can decide “patient identified” or “patient not identified,” the data must be prepared: merged, cleaned, and interpreted.

What Data Processing Logic Does

Data processing logic is responsible for preparing information for decision-making. It does not decide what the process should do next; it prepares the facts needed for that decision.

Typical responsibilities include:

• Collecting data from multiple sources (through data access logic)
• Merging and reconciling data that describes the same entity
• Transforming raw values into a consistent representation
• Aggregating and calculating derived values
• Producing a single result that business logic can evaluate

Relationship to Business Logic

The relationship can be summarized simply:

• Data processing logic prepares the outcome.
• Business logic evaluates the outcome and chooses the next state.

In other words, business logic should not contain code that merges data sources or normalizes formats. It should receive a decision-ready result and focus only on decision-making.

Definition

With this context, we can define data processing logic as follows:

Data processing logic manages data preparation and transformation according to business rules so that business logic can determine the next state of the process.

In the next chapter, we will look at a lower-level layer that supports data processing logic: data access logic.

Table of Content Introduction into Business Process Previous: Business Logic Next: Data Access Logic