SYSTEMS DOCUMENTATION

TECHNIQUES
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INTRODUCTION
 Documentation explains how a system works,
including the who, what, when, where, why, and
how of data entry, data processing, data storage,
information output, and system controls.
 Popular means of documenting a system include
diagrams, flowcharts, tables, and other graphical
representations of data and information.
 These are supplemented by a narrative
description of the system, a written step-by-
step explanation of system components and
interactions.
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SYSTEMS DOCUMENTATION TOOLS

 Data flow diagrams, graphical description of

data sources, data flows, transformation processes, data
storage, and data destinations.
 Flowcharts, which is a graphical description of a
system. There are several types of flow charts, including:
 Document flowchart, which shows the flow of
documents and information between departments or
areas of responsibility
 System flowchart, which shows the relationship
among the input, processing, and output in an
information system.
 Program flowchart, which shows the sequence of
logical operations a computer performs as it executes a
program.
 Business process diagrams, which are
graphical descriptions of the business processes used by a 3
company.
DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
 A graphical description of the flow of data within
an organization, including data
sources/destinations, data flows, transformation
processes, and data storage.
 It has four basic elements:
 Data sources and destinations,
 Data flows,
 Transformation processes, and
 Data stores

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DATA FLOW DIAGRAM SYMBOLS

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BASIC DATA FLOW DIAGRAM ELEMENTS

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DATA FLOW DIAGRAM OF CUSTOMER
PAYMENT PROCESS

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CUSTOMER INQUIRIES (L) SPLITTING
CUSTOMER PAYMENTS AND INQUIRIES

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SUBDIVIDING THE DFD
 DFDs are subdivided into successively lower
levels to provide ever-increasing amounts of
detail, because few systems can be fully
diagrammed on one sheet of paper.
 Also, users have differing needs, and a variety of
levels can better satisfy differing requirements.
 The highest-level DFD is referred to as a context
diagram because it provides reader with a
summary-level view of a system. It depicts a data
processing system and the entities that are the
sources and destinations of system inputs and
outputs. 9
CONTEXT DIAGRAM FOR S&S PAYROLL
PROCESSING

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LEVEL 0 DFD FOR S&S PAYROLL
PROCESSING

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LEVEL 1 DFD FOR PROCESS 2.0 IN S&S
PAYROLL PROCESSING

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GUIDELINES FOR DRAWING A DFD
 Understand the system
 Ignore certain aspects of the system

 Determine system boundaries

 Develop a context diagram

 Identify data flows

 Group data flows

 Identify transformation processes

 Group transformation processes

 Identify all files or data stores

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GUIDELINES FOR DRAWING A DFD
 Identify all data sources and destinations
 Name all DFD elements

 Subdivide the DFD

 Give each process a sequential number

 Refine the DFD

 Prepare a final copy

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FLOWCHARTS
 A flowchart is a pictorial, analytical technique
used to describe some aspect of an information
system in a clear, concise, and logical manner.
 Flowcharts record how business processes are
performed and how documents flow through the
organization.
 They are also used to analyze how to improve
business processes and document flows.
 Most flowcharts are drawn using a software
program such as Visio, Word, Excel, or
PowerPoint.
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 FIGURE 3-9
18 Document Flowchart of Payroll Processing at S&S
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GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING
FLOWCHARTS
 Understand the system
 Identify the entities to be flowcharted

 Organize flowchart

 Clearly label all symbols

 Page connectors

 Draw a rough sketch of the flowchart

 Draw a final copy of the flowchart

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SYSTEM FLOWCHART OF SALES
PROCESSING AT S&S

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SYSTEM AND
PROGRAM FLOWCHARTS

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BUSINESS PROCESS DIAGRAMS
 A Business Process Diagram (BPD) is a visual
way to describe the different steps or activities in
a business process.
 For example, there are many activities in the
revenue cycle.
 Among them are receiving an order, checking
customer credit, verifying inventory availability,
and confirming customer order acceptance.

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BUSINESS PROCESS DIAGRAM SYMBOLS

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BUSINESS PROCESS DIAGRAM OF
PAYROLL PROCESSING AT S&S

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GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING BUSINESS
PROCESS DIAGRAMS
 Identify and understand the business processes
 Ignore certain items

 Decide how much detail to include

 Organize diagram

 Enter each business process on the diagram

 Draw a rough sketch of the BPD

 Draw a final copy of the BPD

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