Data engineering for AI applications
Prepare mixed data with rules you can repeat and inspect.
Reviewed: 2026-10-03
Source-based teaching example · Fictional data
Narration: Microsoft Mark · locally synthesized

00:00:00.000 — What you will learn

Prepare mixed data with rules you can repeat and inspect.

Visual description:
Prepare mixed data with rules you can repeat and inspect.

00:00:06.250 — The idea

Validate dates and required fields before using records. Decide how duplicates and conflicts are handled. Keep a record of inputs and transformations.

Visual description:
Validate dates and required fields before using records. Decide how duplicates and conflicts are handled. Keep a record of inputs and transformations.

00:00:19.542 — One useful term

Idempotent processing. Repeating the same operation has the same intended effect, without adding duplicates.

Visual description:
Repeating the same operation has the same intended effect, without adding duplicates.

00:00:29.833 — A worked example

The intake exercise combines CSV and JSON records. It rejects invalid dates and separates records missing owners. Running the same input again should produce the same normalized output.

Visual description:
The intake exercise combines CSV and JSON records. It rejects invalid dates and separates records missing owners. Running the same input again should produce the same normalized output.

00:00:45.625 — Your turn to think

Does a conflicting duplicate become safe just because you ran the pipeline twice? Pause and decide before continuing.

Visual description:
Does a conflicting duplicate become safe just because you ran the pipeline twice?
Pause the video if you need more time.

00:01:03.958 — Why this answer works

No. Conflicts need an explicit rule. If counts change unexpectedly, inspect identifiers and stored state.

Visual description:
No. Conflicts need an explicit rule. If counts change unexpectedly, inspect identifiers and stored state.

00:01:15.208 — Check 1

Validate required fields.

Visual description:
Validate required fields.

00:01:20.208 — Check 2

Declare duplicate and conflict rules.

Visual description:
Declare duplicate and conflict rules.

00:01:25.833 — Check 3

Compare output from repeated runs.

Visual description:
Compare output from repeated runs.

00:01:31.125 — Now try a different case

Open the lesson and try its different practice case. Use every check in the full task. Watching alone does not mark the lesson complete.

Visual description:
Open the lesson
Try the new case
Check and revise
The full task and its requirements are in the linked lesson.