Software Engineering Terms - E

ENCRYPTION

The coding and scrambling of messages to prevent unauthorized access to or

understanding of the data being stored or transmitted.

END-USER REVIEW

The review of a deliverable for functional accuracy by a Subject Matter Expert who is

familiar with the software product under design or development. See Review.

ENTITY

A collection of attributes related to and describing a specific subject, such as Products.

ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAM

A diagram illustrating the relationship between various entities in a database.

EXECUTABLE

A binary data file that can be run by the operating system to perform a specific set of

functions. In Windows, executables carry the extension .EXE and can be launched by

double-clicking on them.

EXTERNAL INTERFACE

In database applications, an external interface is a defined process and data structure

used to exchange data with other systems. For example, an order processing application

may have an interface to exchange data with an external accounting system.

EXTERNAL INTERFACE COMPLEXITY

The level of complexity associated with an external interface. A simple interface is

generally unidirectional, with limited, stable logic defining the structure of the exchanged

data. A standard export from a database to a spreadsheet is considered a simple

interface. A complex interface may be bi-directional, or may have extensive, adaptive

logic defining the structure of the exchanged data. The transmission of labor data to a

corporate payroll system, with its attendant validation and transaction confirmation

requirements, is considered a complex interface.