Automatic data processing

Automatic data processing (ADP) refers to an interacting assembly of procedures, processes, methods, personnel, and equipment to perform automatically a series of data processing operations on data. The data processing operations may result in a change in the semantic content of the data.

ADP is also defined as data processing by means of one or more devices that use common storage for all or part of a computer program, and also for all or part of the data necessary for execution of the program; that execute user-written or user-designated programs; that perform user-designated symbol manipulation, such as arithmetic operations, logic operation, or character-string manipulations; and that can execute programs that modify themselves during their execution.

ADP may be performed by a stand-alone unit or by several connected units.