Ab Initio Data Quality |work| Jun 2026

Checking data against specific business rules (e.g., "Account numbers must be 10 digits").

Use tools like pydantic (Python), Great Expectations (with expect_column_values_to_not_be_null set to fatal ), or dbt 's constraints (enforced, not just documented). If the contract fails, the pipe breaks. Loudly. ab initio data quality

Why isn't everyone doing this? Because ab initio data quality is expensive, but in a hidden way. Checking data against specific business rules (e

Decision-makers can rely on dashboards without second-guessing the numbers. Conclusion or dbt 's constraints (enforced

Automatically correcting minor errors, such as formatting dates or standardizing addresses, while flagging irreparable records for manual review. 3. High-Performance Error Handling

Does the data reflect reality? (e.g., Is a customer's birthdate physically possible?)