Avoid data inconsistencies

How can we avoid model or input data inconsitencies? E.g. a light entity might include a set of rays for geometric optics and (at the same time) a defined complex wavefront for Fourier propagation. One cannot avoid that these data would contradict each other. Another example: Sequential system with two component nodes and a propagation node in between with a given propagation length. In addition, the component nodes have locations in 3D space (for non-sequential free-space raytracing). In this case, the Euclidian distance does not necessarily match the propagation length...