LAB # 03

DATA FLOW DIAGRAM

Date: 17 Sep,2014

DATA FLOW DIAGRAM

DATA FLOW DIAGRAM

DFDs show the flow of data from external

entities into the system, showed how the
data moved from one process to another,
as well as its logical storage.

DFDs are an important technique for

modeling a systems high-level detail by
showing how input data is transformed to
output results through a sequence of
functional transformations.

COMPONENTS OF DATA FLOW

DIAGRAM
DFDs consist of four major components:
Entities
Processes
Data stores
Data flows.

COMPONENTS OF DATA FLOW

DIAGRAM
ENTITY

An entity is the source or destination of data.

The source in a DFD represents these entities
that are outside the context of the system.
Entities either provide data to the system
(referred to as a source) or receive data from
it(referred to as a sink).
Entities are often represented as rectangles.
Entities are also referred
terminators, or source/sink.

to

as

agents,

PROCESS

The process is the manipulation or work that

transforms data, performing computations,
making decisions (logic flow), or directing
data flows based on business rules.
In other words, a process receives input and
generates some output. Process names
(simple verbs and dataflow names, such as
Submit Payment or Get Invoice).
Processes can be drawn as circles or a
segmented rectangle on a DFD, and include
a process name and process number.

DATA STORE
A data store is a holding place for
information within the system.
Files and tables are considered data stores.
Data store names (plural) are simple but
meaningful, such as customers, orders,
and products.
Data
stores are usually drawn as a
rectangle with the right hand side missing
and labeled by the name of the data
storage area it represents.

DATA FLOW
Data flow is the movement of data between
the entity, the process, and the data store.
Data flow shows the flow of information
from its source to destination.
Data flow is represented by an arrow,
showing the direction of flow.
Information
always flow to or from a
process.
Each data flow may be referenced by the
processes or data stores at its head and tail,
or by a description of its contents.

COMPONENTS OF DATA FLOW

DIAGRAM

MODELING RULES
All processes must have at least one data
flow in and one data flow out.
All processes should modify the incoming
data, producing new forms of outgoing
data.
Each data store must be involved with at
least one data flow.
Each external entity must be involved with
at least one data flow.
A data flow must be attached to at least
one process.

DFD DIAGRAMMING RULES

PROCESS

No process can have

only outputs or only
inputsprocesses
must have both
outputs and inputs.

Process labels should be verb phrases.

DFD DIAGRAMMING RULES DATA

STORE

All flows to or from a data store must move

through a process.

Data store labels should be noun phrases.

DFD DIAGRAMMING RULES

SOURCE/SINK

No data moves directly between external entities

without going through a process.
Interactions between external entities without
intervening processes are outside the system and
therefore not represented in the DFD.
Source and sink labels should be noun phrases.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTEXT LEVEL

AND LEVEL-1 DFD
CONTEXT LEVEL DFD
Basic form of DFD.
Show how the entire system works at a glance.
There is only one process in the system.
All the data flows either into or out of this process.
Context level DFDs demonstrates the interactions
between the process and external entities.
They do not contain Data Stores.

CONTEXT DIAGRAM
Context diagram
shows the
system
boundaries,
external entities
that interact with
the system, and
major
information flows
between entities
and the system.

NOTE: only one process symbol, and no data stores shown.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTEXT LEVEL

AND LEVEL-1 DFD
LEVEL-1 DFD
Give an overview of the full system.
Look at the system in more detail.
Major processes are broken down into sub-processes.
Level 1 DFDs also identifies data stores that are used
by the major processes.
Examine the Context Level DFD.
Like the Context Level DFDs, all entities, data stores
and processes must be labelled.

LEVEL-1 DFD Diagram

Level-0 DFD
shows the
systems major
processes,
data flows, and
data stores at
a high level of
abstraction.

Processes are labeled 1.0, 2.0, etc. These will be

decomposed into more primitive (lower-level) DFDs.

A DFD EXAMPLE