FUNCTION POINTS OVERVIEW

A function point is a unit of measure for functional size of software as defined within the IFPUG Functional
Size Measurement Method & the International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG) method for function
point analysis is an ISO standard and conforms to ISO/IEC 14143-1:2007.
Function Points Defines -:
Functional Size of an application, (Every Application has a non functional size which cannot be
accounted using Function Points. We have to use other sizing techniques to get the complete
size of an application)
It is dependent on the user view & calculates what functionality a user requests or receives (A
User can be a Human or a different system. User can be understood as a consumer of
functionality)

The framework of functional sizing defines FP in 2 different types.

1. Data Function Points - : Data Function Points defines what data or data group will be
maintained or referenced by the application to complete the user requirement. DFP is segregated
in 2 types.
a. Internal Logical File commonly called as ILF. Its complexity is derived by counting
i. Data Element Type
ii. Record Element Type
b. External Interface file, commonly called as EIF. Its complexity is also derived by counting
i. Data Element Type
ii. Record Element Type

2. Transaction Function Points -: Transaction Function Points defines the user activity or set of
activities which user will perform in the system to get the desired results. TFP is segregated in 3
types
a. External Input, commonly called as EI. Its complexity is derived by counting
i. Data Element Type
ii. File Type Reference
b. External Output, commonly called as EO. Its complexity is derived by counting
i. Data Element Type
ii. File Type Reference

c. External Inquiry, commonly called as EQ. Its complexity is derived by counting

i. Data Element Type
ii. File Type Reference

Internal Logical File (ILF)

1. It is a group of logically related data or control information, which is meaningful to the user,
maintained within the boundary of the application being measured. The primary intent of an ILF is
to hold data maintained through one or more TFP of the application being counted.
Control Information is data that influences an elementary process by specifying what, when or
how data is to be processed. A Simple example to understand Control data could be that a
same page is visible differently to 3 different types of user.
Maintained means (Add, Update, and Delete) by TFP. An EI (Must do it), EO (May Update),
EQ Never (Add, Updates or Deletes the data from the system)
2. One way to understand ILF is that it could be a Logical collection of physical tables.
3. Another way of understanding ILF is by looking towards the entities in the system.
a. Master Entities Entities about which data is stored in the system. Commonly all such
entities falls under ILF. (But not always)
b. Associative Entities Entities form due to association of 2 entities. Depending upon the
business rule such entities may also come under the category of ILF. (Although
Probability is less)
FUNCTION POINTS OVERVIEW

c. Attributive Entities Entities which defines the attributes of Master Entity. Depending
upon the business rule such entities may also come under the category of ILF. (Although
Probability is less)
d. Entity Subtype Entity which describes the type of data elements needed depending
upon the user selection of user. Example-: there are 3 different type of user (Admin,
Customer, and Supplier) in the system & different set of attributes is needed to describe
them. Such entities never counted as an ILF in FP counting.

External Interface File (EIF)

1. It is a group of logically related data or control information, which is meaningful to the user, but is
only referenced during transaction, & not maintained; by the application being measured also it
should be identified as an ILF in one or more other applications.
2. When the data of external system is referenced to complete the processing logic and system
under the counting scope does not maintain the data set then all such files comes under EIF,
Please note that physically these files can be in our database, but are maintained by the
elementary process of different system. Example Tax Rates.

External Input

An external input (EI) is a TFP that processes data or control information sent from outside the boundary.
The primary intent of an EI is to maintain one or more ILFs and/or to alter the behavior of the system.

External Output

An external output (EO) is a TFP that sends data or control information outside the applications boundary
and includes additional processing beyond that of an external inquiry. The primary intent of an external
output is to present information to a user through processing logic other than or in addition to the retrieval
of data or control information. The processing logic must contain at least one mathematical formula or
calculation, create derived data, maintain one or more ILFs, and/or alter the behavior of the system.

External Inquiry

An external inquiry (EQ) is a TFP that sends data or control information outside the boundary. The
primary intent of an external inquiry is to present information to a user through the retrieval of data or
control information. The processing logic contains no mathematical formula or, and creates no derived
data. No ILF is maintained during the processing, nor is the behavior of the system altered.

Unadjusted FP = ILF FPs + EIF FPs + EI FPs + EO FPs + EQ FPs

Value Adjustment Factor Determination (Excluded from Functional Sizing after CPM 4.3 Version
Release)

The value adjustment factor (VAF) is based on 14 general system characteristics (GSCs) that rate the
general functionality of the application being measured. Each characteristic has associated descriptions
that help determine the degree of influence of that characteristic. The degree of influence for each
characteristic ranges on a scale of zero to five, from no influence to strong influence.
The 14 general system characteristics are summarized into the value adjustment factor. When applied,
the value adjustment factor adjusts the unadjusted functional size +/-35 percent to produce the adjusted
functional size.
FUNCTION POINTS OVERVIEW

Step to Get VAF

1. Evaluate each of the 14 general system characteristics on a scale from zero to five to determine
the degree of influence (DI).
2. Add the degrees of influence for all 14 general system characteristics to produce the total degree
of influence (TDI).
3. Insert the TDI into the following equation to produce the value adjustment factor.
a. VAF = (TDI * 0.01) + 0.65

For example, the following value adjustment factor is calculated if there are three degrees of influence for
each of the 14 GSC descriptions (3*14).
VAF = (42 * 0.01) + 0.65
VAF = 1.07

Degree Remarks
GSC Description of
Influence
1 Data Communications 4/5 The data and control information used in the application are
sent or received over communication facilities.
2 Distributed Data Processing 4/5 Data transfer in real time & in both direction and dynamic.
3 Performance 1/5 Response time and throughput is critical during all business
hours. Performance requirements are stringent enough.
4 Heavily used configuration 1/5 Real time data communication.
5 Transaction rate 2/5 There are high transaction rate, online/Web enabled
6 Online data entry 5/5 All transactions are interactive.
7 End-user efficiency 4/5 Resident information retrived real time to validate.
8 Online update 3/5 Real time data communication.
9 Complex processing 3/5 Complex processing involve like complex process for
handling multiple request input/output request response,
handling the exception.
10 Re-usability 0/5 Common search API leveraged, style sheet of resident portal
leveraged.
11 Installation ease 2/5 No external intervention required.
12 Operation ease 2/5 No human intervention required.
13 Multiple sites 2/5 Integrated with Multiple systems in multiple sites
14 Facilitate change 2/5 Master table maintained Business control process.
Total 35
VAF = (TDI * 0.01) + 0.65 1

Adjusted Function Points = Unadjusted Function Points * VAF