Chapter 3

Documentation :Narratives, flowcharts, diagrams, and other written materials that explain
how a system works.Narrative description: Written, step-by-step explanation of system
components and how they interact.One popular means of documenting a system is to develop
diagrams, flowcharts, tables, and other graphical representations of information, suplement
by.Data flow diagram (DFD): A graphical description of the flow of data within an
organization, including data sources/destinations, data flows, transformation processes, and
data storage.Data source: The entity that produces or sends the data that is entered into a
system.Data destination: The entity that receives data produced by a system.Data flow:The
movement of data among processes, stores, sources, and destinations. Symbol: square=data
source, destination(data sink), arrow=data flows, circle/bubbles=transformation process,lines
that are horizontal and parallel to each other= data stores, triangle= internal control.
Process:action that transforms data into other data or information.data store: place or medium
where system data is stored.Subdividing DFD:Context diagram:highest-level DFD; a
summary-level view of a system, showing the data processing system, its input(s) and
output(s), and their sources and destinations, depicts system diagram.Guidelines for Drawing
DFD: 1.Understand the system,2.Ignore certain aspects of the system,3.Determine system
boundaries,4.Develop a context diagram,5.Identify data flow,6.Group data Flow,7.Identify
transformation process,8.Group transformation process,9.identify all files or data
stores,10.identify all data sources and destination,11.Name all DFD elements,12.Subdivide the
DFD,13.Give each process a sequential number,14.REfine the DFD,15.Prepare a Final copy.

Flowchart:An analytical technique that uses a standard set of symbols to describe pictorially
some aspect of an IS in a clear, concise, and logical manner. Flowcharting
symbols:1.Input/output symbols:input to or output from a system.2. Processing symbols:data
processing, either electronically or by hand.3. Storage symbols: where data is stored.4. Flow
and miscellaneous symbols:indicate the flow of data, where flowcharts begin or end, where
decisions are made, and how to add explanatory notes to flowcharts.Types of Flowchart:
document flowchart: Illustrates the flow of documents and data among areas of responsibility
within an organization.internal control flowchart:used to describe, analyze, and evaluate
internal controls, including identifying system strengths, weaknesses, and
inefficiencies.System flowchart: Depicts the relationships among system input, processing,
storage, and output.Guidelines for Preparing Flowcharts:1.Understand the system,
2.Identify the entities to be flowcharted,3.Organize flowchart., 4.Clearly label all
symbols,5.Page connectors.,6.Draw a rough sketch of the flowchart.,7.Draw a final copy of the
flowchart.program flowchart:illustrates the sequence of logical operations performed by a
computer in executing a program.

Business process diagram:visual way to describe the different steps or activities in a business
process.Guidelines for Preparing Business Process Diagrams: 1.Identify and understand the
business processes.2.Ignore certain items.,3.Decide how much detail to include.,4.Organize
diagram.,5.Enter each business process on the diagram,6.Draw a rough sketch of the
BPD.,7.Draw a final copy of the BPD.

[Additional TB]true statement: Data flow diagrams and flowcharts are difficult to prepare
and revise using software packages.,Each manual processing symbol should have an input and
an output.,It is particularly useful in analyzing the adequacy of internal control procedures., a
data destination will be shown by: an arrow pointing in, update receivable: circle,
customer:square, customer payment:arrow, Most processes on a DFD can be identified by
data flows both into or out of a process.More than one arrow is needed if data elements flow
at different times.,Payroll processing DFD "prepare reports"=cyrcle, the "employee payroll
file"=two horizontal lines, and the "bank"=square, control processes and actions should be
ignored in a DFD, The term used to refine a high-level or summary view data flow diagram
into successively lower levels to provide greater amounts of detail is explode, A square
denotes an auxiliary operation: flowchart processing, invoice sent to a customer=
documents,