C System Process Modeling

DATA Flow Diagrams

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 System Models

• System models play an important role in

systems development.
• Systems analysts or users constantly
deal with unstructured problems.
• One way to structure such problems is
to draw models.
• A model is a representation of reality. Just as a
picture is worth a thousand words, most system
models are pictorial representations of reality.

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 What is Process Modeling?
• Process modeling is a technique for organizing and
documenting the structure and flow of data through a
system’s processes.

– A business user, when questioned will usually focus on the

processes of that operation.
– A process may be defined as an action or series of actions
which produce a change or development.
• The process view of a system may be modeled by a
Data Flow Diagram

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 Data Flow Diagram

A data flow diagram (DFD) is a “graphical

representation of the flow of data through a
system”
(Martin,
1995)

• Graphical descriptions of the sources and destinations of

data. They show:
– Where data comes from
– How it flows
– The processes performed on it
– Where it goes
4

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• A data flow diagram (DFD) graphically

describes the flow of data within an
organization. It is used to:
– Document existing systems
– Plan and design new systems
• An ERD is a data model, and a DFD is a
process model

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• A data flow diagram consists of four basic

elements:
– Data sources and destinations. Also called
external entities
– Data flows
– Processes
– Data stores

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• Data sources and destinations (External entities)
– Appear as squares
– Represent organizations, individuals, or organizational units that
send or receive data used or produced by the system
• An item can be both a source and a destination
• Used to define system boundaries
• Named with a noun

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• Data flows
– Appear as arrows, named with nouns
– Represent the flow of data between sources and
destinations, processes, and data stores
– A data flow can be used to represent the creation,
reading, deletion, or updating of data in a file or
database (data store).
– At least one end of every data flow should either
come from or go to a process.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• If two data elements flow together, then the use

of one data flow line is appropriate.

Cash Rec’t & Remittance Slip Process

Customer
Payment

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• If the data elements do not always flow

together, then multiple lines will be
needed.

Customer Inquiry Process

Customer Payment
Customer Payment

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• Processes
– Appear as circles
– Represent the transformation of data
– Must be numbered and labeled with a single action
verb and an object
– Avoid the use of the word “and” in the process name

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• The processes are shown in red.
• Every process must have at least
one data inflow and at least one
Accounts
data outflow.
Receivable

Customer Remittance Receivables

payment 1.0 2.0
data Information Credit
Customer Process Update
Payment A/R Manager

Deposit

Bank

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• Data stores
– Appear as two horizontal lines, named with a noun
– Represent a temporary or permanent data repository
– Flow out of a data store = retrieval
– Flow into a data store = inserting or updating
– Data stores on a DFD are related to entities on an ERD

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© 2006 Prentice Hall Business Publishing Accounting Information Systems, 10/e Romney/Steinbart 14 of 37
 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• Subdividing the DFD:

– Few systems can be fully diagrammed on one
sheet of paper, and users have needs for
differing levels of detail.
– Consequently, DFDs are subdivided into
successively lower levels to provide
increasing amounts of detail.
– Some data inputs and outputs will not appear
on the higher levels of the DFD but appear as
the processes are exploded into greater levels
of detail.
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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• The highest level of DFD is called a

context diagram.
– It provides a summary-level view of the
system.
– It depicts a data processing system and the
external entities that are:
• Sources of its input
• Destinations of its output
– The process symbol is numbered with a “0”

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
Govt.
t
Depart- en Agencies
ym
ments Tim pa
ec t&
ard por
s x re
Ta
0
Payroll Employee checks
Employees
Processing
o rm
System Pa y
e f roll
e che
pl oy orm ck
e m e f
ew a ng Pa
N ch
yee
yr
o Bank
Human plo ll
re
Em po
Resources rt

• This is the context diagram for the

Manage-
S&S payroll processing system
ment
(Figure 3-5 in your textbook).
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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• A Level 0 diagram is a projection of the process on the
Context diagram. It is like opening up that process and
looking inside to see how it works – to show the internal
sub-processes
• On a Level 0 diagram, you repeat the external entities
but you also expand the main process into its
subprocesses. Also data stores will appear at this level.
• The Level 0 diagram must “balance” with the Context
diagram. This means they should both have the same
external entities with the same flows to and from those
entities.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
Depart-
ments Employees
Employee
New employee Time checks
Human form cards
Resources
1.0
Update 2.0
Employee Pay Payroll
empl.
Change Employ- check
Payroll Bank
form ees
file

Payroll
Disburse-
3.0 ment data 5.0
Employee/
This diagram Prepare
Payroll file
Update
reports Gen.
shows the Ledger
next level of Payroll tax
disb. voucher
detail for the Payroll
report
context 4.0 General
Ledger
diagram in Pay
Tax report
Manage- taxes
Figure 3-5. ment
& payment
Govt.
Agencies

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
Depart-
ments Employees
Employee
New employee Time paychecks
Human form cards
Resources
1.0
Update 2.0
Employee Pay Payroll
empl.
Change check
form
Payroll Employ- Bank
file ees
Suppose we Payroll
exploded Process 3.0
Disburse-
ment data 5.0
2.0 (pay Prepare Employee/
Update
employees) in the reports Payroll file
Gen.
next level. The Ledger
Payroll tax
sub-processes disb. voucher
Payroll
would be report
General
numbered 2.1, 2.2, 4.0
Pay Ledger
2.3, etc. Tax report
Manage- taxes
& payment
ment Govt.
Agencies

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• A Level 1 diagram is a projection of a Level 0
process.
• A Level 1 diagram shows all the processes that
comprise a single process on the level 0
diagram.
• It shows how information moves from and to
each of these processes.
• Level 1 diagrams may not be needed for all
Level 0 processes.
• On Level 1 diagrams we do not repeat external
entities. Data stores may not be repeated either.

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 CONTEXT
DIAGRAM

KITCHEN
CUSTOMER

0
Customer Order
Food Food Order
Receipt Ordering
System

Management
Report

RESTAURANT
MANAGER

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 LEVEL 0 DIAGRAM

KITCHEN
CUSTOMER

1.0
Customer Order
Transform Food Order
Receipt Customer
Food Order

3.0
2.0
Update
Update
Goods Inventory Inventory
Goods Sold
Sold Data Data

Formatted
Formatted Goods Inventory Data
Sold Data
INVENTORY
GOODS SOLD D2
D1
Daily Inventory
Daily Goods 4.0 Depletion Amounts
Sold Amounts
Produce
Management RESTAURANT
Report Management MANAGER
Report
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 DFD Balance
KITCHEN
CUSTOMER

Customer Order 1.0 Food Order

Receipt Transform
Customer
Food Order 3.0
2.0
Update
Update Inventory
Goods Sold
Goods Inventory
Sold Data Data
Formatted
Formatted Goods Inventory Data
Sold Data
INVENTORY
GOODS SOLD D2
D1
Daily Inventory
Daily Goods 4.0 Depletion Amounts
Sold Amounts
Produce
Management
Report
Management
Report
RESTAURANT
MANAGER
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 PROCESS 1 ON SUB PROCESS 1
THE LEVEL 0
DIAGRAM
THIS LEVEL 1
DIAGRAM
Level 1 Diagram
1.1 1.3
Process Transform
Customer Order Customer Customer Order Order to Food Order
Order Kitchen
Format
Inventory
Customer Order 1.5 Data
Customer Generate
Order Customer Order Inventory
Decrements

1.4
1.2 Generate
Generate Good Sold
Increments Goods Sold Data
Customer
Receipt

Receipt
NOTE HOW WE HAVE THE SAME INPUTS
AND OUTPUTS AS THE ORIGINAL PROCESS
SHOWN IN THE LEVEL 0 DIAGRAM

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 Another Level 1 Diagram
Daily Goods 4.0 Daily Inventory
ORGINAL Sold Amounts Depletion Amounts
LEVEL 0 Produce
PROCESS Management
Report Management
Report

Daily Inventory
LEVEL 1 PROCESSES
Depletion Amounts

4.1 Inventory Data 4.2

Daily Goods Access Aggregate
Sold Amounts Goods Sold Goods Sold
and Inventory and Inventory
Goods Sold Data
Data Data
4.3 Management
Report
Prepare
PROCESSES 2.0 AND 3.0 ON THE LEVEL 0 DIAGRAM Management
DO NOT NEED FURTHER DECOMPOSTION Report

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• Let’s step through some guidelines on how to
create a DFD.
• RULE 1: Understand the system. Observe the
flow of information and interview people involved
to gain that understanding.
• RULE 2: Ignore control processes and control
actions (e.g., error corrections). Only very
critical error paths should be included.
• RULE 3: Determine the system boundaries—
where it starts and stops. If you’re not sure
about a process, include it for the time being.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• RULE 4: Draw the context diagram first, and
then draw successively greater levels of detail.
• RULE 5: Identify and label all data flows.
• RULE 6: Data flows that always flow together
should be grouped together. Those that do not
flow together should be shown on separate
lines.
• RULE 7: Show a process (circle) wherever a
data flow is converted from one form to another.
Likewise, every process should have at least
one incoming data flow and at least one
outgoing data flow.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• RULE 8: Processes that are logically related or
occur simultaneously can be grouped in one
process.
• RULE 9: Number each process sequentially. A
process labeled 5.0 would be exploded at the
next level into processes numbered 5.1, 5.2, etc.
A process labeled 5.2 would be exploded into
5.2.1, 5.2.2, etc.
• RULE 10: Process names should include action
verbs, such as update, prepare, etc.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• RULE 11: Identify and label all data stores.

• RULE 12: Identify and label all sources and
destinations. An entity can be both a source
and destination. You may wish to include such
items twice on the diagram, if needed, to avoid
excessive or crossing lines.
• RULE 13: As much as possible, organize the
flow from top to bottom and left to right.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• RULE 14: You’re not likely to get it beautiful the

first time, so plan to go through several iterations
of refinements.
• RULE 15: On the final copy, lines should not
cross. On each page, include:
– The name of the DFD
– The date prepared
– The preparer’s name

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
• The first paragraph of the narrative for the payroll
process reads as follows:
– When employees are hired, they complete a new employee
form. When a change to an employee’s payroll status occurs,
such as a raise or a change in the number of exemptions,
human resources completes an employee change form. A copy
of these forms is sent to payroll. These forms are used to create
or update the records in the employee/payroll file and are then
stored in the file. Employee records are stored alphabetically.

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS
Depart-
ments Employees
Employee
New employee Time paychecks
Human form cards
Resources
1.0
Update 2.0
Employee Pay Payroll
empl.
Change Employ- check
Payroll Bank
form ees
file

Payroll
Disburse-
3.0 ment data 5.0
Prepare Employee/
Update
reports Payroll file
Gen.
Ledger
Payroll tax
Payroll disb. voucher
report
4.0 General
Pay Ledger
taxes Tax report
Manage- & payment
ment Govt.
Agencies

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 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• The data flow diagram focuses on the logical

flow of data.

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