knots.io

Data Validation tools that work across Excel, scans, and forms

Automatically validate incoming data to ensure it’s complete, correct, and ready for processing — no manual checks needed. Knots uses AI-powered automation for data validation across formats like Excel, PDFs, scans, emails, and web forms, before it enters your systems.

Some of our customers

What is data validation?

Data validation is the process of checking incoming data to ensure it is complete, accurate, consistent, and properly formatted before it enters a business system or workflow. This prevents errors, saves time, and ensures data quality across tools and teams.

It applies to everything from web forms and PDFs to Excel files and scanned documents — and is absolutely indispensable for every business that relies on data.

Whether you’re processing return forms, validating stock updates, or approving customer applications: without accurate data, nothing flows.

Data validation tools and solutions by Knots

Types of data validation

Validating your data ensures incoming information is usable, structured, and reliable. It can take many forms depending on the data source and business requirements. Below are common types of ensuring all your information is correct — often combined into one automated workflow:

  • Format validation – Ensures that data follows a required pattern (e.g. dates in YYYY-MM-DD, valid phone numbers, or postal codes).
  • Presence check – Confirms that required fields such as name, email, or ID number are not left blank.
  • Range check – Verifies that values fall within acceptable limits, such as age, quantity, or transaction amount.
  • Cross-field validation – Compares values across fields for logical consistency (e.g. end date must come after start date).
  • Reference validation – Checks values against approved lists or lookup tables (e.g. product IDs, customer SKUs, valid currencies).
  • File type validation – Accepts only specific file formats like PDF, Excel, or DOCX; flags others as invalid.
  • Schema validation – Ensures that the structure of submitted data matches a defined schema (e.g. JSON structure for APIs).

Why data validation matters for your business

Without validating data, you notice missing or faulty information too late — leading to miscalculations, false claims, and other errors that result in losses, unhappy customers, and disrupted processes.

In many companies, data validation is still a manual, tedious, and error-prone task. Teams open documents, check content manually, and type values into internal systems. If anything’s missing, back-and-forth with the sender begins — often by email.

Let us show you how to automate these processes — and make them faster, cheaper, and more accurate.

✅ Reduce manual work
✅ Increase speed and accuracy
✅ Avoid delays and frustration
✅ Fit into your existing stack — no dev work
✅ Secure, compliant, and scalable

📚 Learn more in our blog post on automating data validation workflows.

Reduce manual work

Increase speed and accuracy

Avoid delays + frustration

No dev work: Fit into your systems

Secure, compliant, and scalable

How Knots handles data validation — across formats and systems

zendesk automation

Data validation powered by automation and AI

There isn’t a single off-the-shelf validation tool that handles all systems, files, and formats. That’s why Knots uses flexible middleware and automation workflows tailored to your needs:

Validating data: Manual vs. automated

Data validation can be performed manually or automatically — but only one approach scales.

✍️ Validating data manually

  • Files are opened and read one by one.
  • Team members check fields and copy values manually.
  • Errors or missing data require follow-up emails.
  • The process is slow, error-prone, and doesn’t scale.

⚙️ Validating data automatically

  • Documents are instantly recognized and parsed.
  • Fields and formats are checked in real time.
  • Missing or invalid data triggers automatic replies.
  • Updates resume the validation process automatically.

Result: Clean, complete, and correct data — ready to use with no manual effort.

✅ Common data validation use cases

  • ✔️ Customer onboarding via forms, scans, or emails
  • ✔️ Order, return, and delivery forms in e-commerce
  • ✔️ Insurance and healthcare claim processing
  • ✔️ Identity checks and compliance documentation
  • ✔️ Internal data workflows with ERP/CRM integrations

❌ What happens when you skip validation?

  • 🚫 Delayed fulfillment and customer responses
  • 🚫 Billing errors and failed reports
  • 🚫 Lost sales and compliance risks
  • 🚫 Unnecessary support overhead
  • 🚫 Damaged customer trust
GDPR-compliant data sync with no customer data stored

Secure, compliant, and built for enterprise use

We work with sensitive data and complex systems every day. That’s why security and scalability are at the core of every Knots solution.

We never store your customer data — and process only what’s needed.

Knots is HIPAA compliant
gdpr compliant badge
Zendesk trusted solution provider badge

Data validation powered by automation + AI

Check our video walkthrough: How health insurance claims get validated using Knots automation. Examples of supported platforms:

  • CRM systems: Salesforce, HubSpot, custom builds

  • File uploads: Google Drive, SharePoint, Dropbox

  • Support: Zendesk, JIRA, ServiceNow

  • Internal databases and APIs

  • Custom portals and web forms

  • Document formats: Excel, Google Sheets, CSV, DOCX, PDFs — even handwritten scans

More real-world data validation examples across industries

Travel & Hospitality


Incomplete documents submitted during compensation requests

✔️ Flight numbers, IBANs, dates checked automatically. Gaps trigger smart replies.

Healthcare


CMS-1500 forms contain errors or missing CPT codes.

✔️Forms are scanned and checked before issues affect billing.

Logistics


Missing IDs or unreadable barcodes on shipment documents

✔️ Issues are flagged instantly; partners are notified automatically.

Gambling & Fintech


Users upload incomplete or expired ID documents.

✔️Type and expiration checked; upload request triggered if needed — no agent required.

Graphic showing Knots impact: time saved, tickets automated, costs reduced

Let’s fix your data today!

Every dashboard, decision, and automation depends on accurate, complete, and validated data.

With Knots, validation happens before your team gets involved — so your people focus on value, not formatting.

✅ Free audit
✅ No strings attached
✅ Results in days, not weeks

Frequently asked questions about data validation

What is data validation used for?

Data validation ensures that information collected from users, systems, or files is complete, correct, and ready for processing. It is used to prevent errors, automate workflows, and improve data quality across business operations.

Why is data validation important?

Without validation, incorrect or incomplete data enters your systems and causes problems: wrong decisions, failed reports, compliance issues, or unnecessary manual work. Validating data upfront means fewer disruptions, faster processes, and higher customer trust.

What types of data can be validated?

Knots can validate all kinds of input data, including:

  • Excel, CSV, Google Sheets
  • PDFs, Word, scanned documents
  • Web forms and file uploads
  • API payloads (JSON, XML)
  • Emails, images, handwriting (via OCR)

Each input is handled according to its structure and validation rules.

What types of data validation rules are supported?

Knots supports rules like required field checks, format and range validation, cross-field logic, and file type enforcement. Custom business rules can also be added.

Can I automate feedback if the data is invalid?

Yes. If fields are missing, incorrect, or inconsistent, Knots can trigger:

  • Personalized messages via email or chat
  • Automated replies in Zendesk, Salesforce, etc.
  • API callbacks or webhook responses
  • Reminders and escalation flows

How does automated text extraction speed up response times?

As soon as a ticket arrives, Knots begins processing any attached documents — extracting key information from scans, PDFs, and forms. This means your team can respond right away, without manually reviewing each file.

What’s the difference between data validation and data cleaning?

Data validation happens before information enters your systems — it ensures that all required fields are present, correctly formatted, and logically sound. Data cleaning takes place after the fact — fixing typos, reformatting values, or removing invalid records. Knots supports both, but our main goal is to prevent bad data from entering in the first place.

Can Knots handle handwritten or scanned forms?

Can Knots handle handwritten or scanned forms?

Yes. We process handwritten and mixed-format documents using advanced extraction and analysis methods. This includes:

  • Scanned forms and paper applications
  • PDFs with a mix of typed and handwritten fields
  • Files containing checkboxes, signatures, or free-text notes

Accuracy depends on file quality and layout — and fallback actions can be defined if extraction confidence is low.

👉 Want to go deeper? Learn more about document text extraction.