1. Systems Documentation Techniques
Professor Merle Martin
Professor Yan Xiong
College of Business
CSU Sacramento
2/6/023

2. Agenda Why Document System Data Flow Diagrams Flowcharts
Difference between DFDs and Flowcharts

3. Why Document Systems? User confidence that you understand system
Successive refinement of detail down to programming level
Ease of Program Maintenance, System Modification, Reengineering, and Replacement

4. Why Document Systems? Problem Solving Humans solve complex problems by
breaking them into smaller and smaller modules
until they fit into the human mind
solving the modular sub-problems
aggregating small solutions into total solution

5. Agenda Why Document Accounting Information Systems
Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs)
Flowcharts
Difference between DFD

6. Data Flow Diagrams
Data flow diagram (DFD) graphically describes flow of data within any system
Used to document existing systems and to plan and design new ones
No ideal way to develop a DFD
judgment within standard rules

7. Data Flow Diagrams DFD composed of only four elements:
Data sources and destinations: External Entities
Another organization/organization unit which exchanges data with the focal system
A person who interacts with the system (customer of a banking system)
Another information system
Data Flows
Processes
Data Stores: Temporary or permanent repository of data

8. DFD Symbols INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT Process Data Flow Data Flow External
Entity
External
Entity
Source
Sink
Data
Flow
Data
Store

9. DFD Symbols Source Payment Sink deposit Remittance data Customer Bank
1.1
Process
Payment
Customer
Source
Payment
Bank
Sink
deposit
Customer
File
Remittance data

10. Data Flow Diagrams Explosion
Data flow diagrams subdivided into successively lower levels in order to provide increasing amounts of detail
This decomposition process is called “explosion”

11. Data Flow Diagram Explosion
Context Level
Ist Level Explosion
2nd Level Explosion
Succeeding levels as necessary
Until reach primitive level
Ready to code

12. Context Diagram Includes only External Entities Data Flows
All elements included on Context Diagram must be included somewhere on lower level diagrams
Data stores rarely included!

13. Context Diagram Why discourage Data Stores on Context Diagram?
Author includes them
Context Diagram shows interaction of your system with outside world
Data Stores are INSIDE your system, not in outside world

14. Context Diagram Purcha- sing Inventory System Purchase Requisition
Vendor
Purchase
Order
Purcha-
sing
Order
Entry
System
Special
Receiving
System
Purchase
Order
Notification
Context Diagram

15. 1st Level Explosion Also includes all data flows and external entities
Now data stores are added
Excellent means of confirming understanding of system between analyst and client
Each process will be exploded into lower level DFDs

16. Ist Level Explosion Inventory Order Entry Vendor Receiving Status
Purchase
Requisition 1
Edit
Order
Receiving
Vendor
Order
Entry
Inventory
Problems
Special
Order
Problem
Orders
Approved
Order 2
Set Ship
Mode
Info
Purchase
Order
Vendor
Draft P.O 3
Prepare
P.O.
P.Order
P.O. Copy
P.O.Noti-
fication

17. 2nd and Succeeding Levels
Must be consistent with parent DFD
Same external entities
Same data stores
Same data flows

18. 2nd Level Explosion (Process 1)
Purchase
Requisition
1.1
Log-in
Order
Inventory
Special
Order
Inventory
Logged-in
Order
Order
Entry
1.2
Edit
Order
Status
Next #
Problem
Orders
Problems
Log-in #s
Edited
Order
1.3
Approve
Order
Process
2.1
Approved
Order

19. DFD Rules -- Process A. No process can have only outputs (a miracle)
B. No process can have only inputs (a black hole)
C. Verb phrase labels

20. DFD Rules -- Data Store
D. Data cannot move directly from one data store to another data store -- it must be moved by a process.
E. Data cannot move directly from an outside source to a data store -- it must be moved by a process.
F. Data cannot move directly to an outside sink from a data store -- it must be moved by a process.
G. Noun phrase label

21. DFD Rules -- Source / Sink
Data cannot move directly from a source to a sink. It must be moved by a process.
Noun phrase label

22. DFD Rules -- Data Flow
J. A data flow has only one direction of flow between symbols; a data flow may flow in both directions to and from a data store (usually two symbols)
K. A fork in a data flow means that exactly the same data goes to two different processes or data stores.

23. DFD Rules -- Data Flow
L. A data flow cannot go directly back to the same process it leaves
M. A data flow to a data store means update (delete or change)
N. A data flow from a data store means retrieve or use
O.Noun phrase label

24. Other DFD Issues Two additional guidelines
Inputs to a process are different from outputs of that process
Every process in a DFD has a unique name

25. Exercise Draw a Context Diagram and a 1st level explosion
Current System Description for the payroll system at No-Wear Products.
Time data are recorded in each department using time cards and clocks.
The time data are sent to the payroll by different departments.
Payroll clerks review the time data for their completeness.
Human resources send the payroll data on personnel changes, such as increases in pay rates and new employees.
Payroll clerks update the payroll file based on these changes.
At the end of the period, payroll clerks enter the time card data into the payroll file for processing. The payroll supervisor reviews the file and makes necessary corrections.
Payroll clerks send the direct payments to the bank and also the direct deposit slips to the departments.

26. Agenda Why Document Accounting Information Systems Data Flow Diagrams
Flowchart
Difference between DFD and Flowchart

27. Flowcharts
A flowchart is an analytical technique used to describe some aspect of an information system in a clear, concise, and logical manner.
Flowcharts use a standard set of symbols to pictorially describe transaction processing procedures.

28. Flowchart Symbols
Flowcharting symbols can be divided into the following four categories:
Input/output symbols
Processing symbols
Storage symbols
Flow and miscellaneous symbols

29. Flowcharting Symbols: Input Output Symbols
Name
Document
Online keying
Display
Input/output; Journal/ledger

30. Flowchart Symbols: Processing symbols
Name
Manual operations
Computer processing
Auxiliary operation

31. Flowchart Symbols: Storage Symbols
Name
Magnetic disk
Magnetic tape

32. Flowchart Symbols: Flow and miscellaneous Symbols
Name
Symbol
On-page connector
Off-page connector
Terminal
Decision
Document or processing flow

33. What are Document Flowcharts?
A document flowchart illustrates the flow of documents and information between areas of responsibility within an organization.
A document flowchart is particularly useful in analyzing the adequacy of control procedures.
Flowcharts that describe and evaluate internal controls are often referred to as internal control flowcharts.

34. What are Computer System Flowcharts?
System flowcharts depict the relationship among the input, processing, and output of an AIS.
A system flowchart begins by identifying both the inputs that enter the system and their origins.
The input is followed by the processing portion of the flowchart.

35. What are Computer System Flowcharts?
The resulting new information is the output component.
System flowcharts are an important tool of system analysis, design, and evaluation.

36. What are Computer System Flowcharts?
Input
Process
Storage
Output

37. What are Program Flowcharts?
A program flowchart describes the specific logic to perform a process shown on a systems flowchart.
A flow line connects the symbols and indicates the sequence of operations.
The processing symbol represents a data movement or arithmetic calculation.

38. What are Program Flowcharts?
Input data
If a condition is met No
Yes
Perform calculation
Update record

39. What are Program Flowcharts?
The input/output symbol represents either reading of input or writing of output.
The decision symbol represents a comparison of one or more variables and the transfer of flow to alternative logic paths.
All points where the flow begins or ends are represented by the terminal symbol.

40. Flowchart for Processing Credit Orders
Enter
sales
order
Start
Approved
for credit?
Reject
order No
Yes
Inventory
available?
Back-
order No
Yes
Fill order
Stop

41. Prepare a system flowchart of the process described.
Example-Flowcharts
The Dewey Construction Company processes its payroll transactions to update both its payroll master file and its work-in-process master file in the same computer run. Both the payroll master file and the work-in-process master file are maintained on disk and accessed directly.
Data to be input to this system are keyed onto a tape using a key-to-tape encoder. This tape is then processed to update the files. This processing run also produces a payroll register on magnetic tape, employee paychecks and earnings statements, and a printed report listing error transactions and summary information.
Prepare a system flowchart of the process described.

43. Agenda Why Document Accounting Information Systems Data Flow Diagrams
Flowchart
Difference between DFD and Flowchart

44. Differences Between DFDs and Flowcharts
DFDs emphasize the flow of data and what is happening in a system, whereas a flowchart emphasizes the flow of documents or records containing data.
A DFD represents the logical flow of data, whereas a flowchart represents the physical flow of data.

45. Differences Between DFDs and Flowcharts
Flowcharts are used primarily to document existing systems.
DFDs, in contrast, are primarily used in the design of new systems and do not concern themselves with the physical devices used to process, store, and transform data.