An approach to the systematic neglect of the small-in-value electron repulsion integrals which is used in a number of approximate self-consistent field @M03996@ schemes. It means that all the products of atomic orbitals \(\unicode[Times]{x3C7} _{\unicode[Times]{x3BC} }\ \unicode[Times]{x3C7} _{\unicode[Times]{x3BD} }\) are set to zero and the @O04357@ \(\text{S}_{\unicode[Times]{x3BC} \unicode[Times]{x3BD} } = \unicode[Times]{x3B4} _{\unicode[Times]{x3BC} \unicode[Times]{x3BD} }\) (where \(\unicode[Times]{x3B4}_{\unicode[Times]{x3BC}\unicode[Times]{x3BD} }\) is the Kronecker delta). The ZDO approximation greatly simplifies the computation of wavefunctions by eliminating many of two-electron integrals. At the ZDO approximation all three- and four-centered integrals vanish.