SYSTEM TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION TECHNIQUES

SYSTEM TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION TECHNIQUES

1.

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.
Three Documentation Tools
1. Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
2. Flowchart
3. Business Process Diagram

1.

Data Flow Diagram - a graphical description of the flow of data within an organization, including
data sources/destinations, data flows, transformation processes, and data storage.

4 Basic Elements of DFD

SYMBOL

NAME

EXPLANATION
The people and organizations that send data to
and receive data from the system are
represented by square boxes. Data destinations
are also referred to as data sinks.

Data sources/
destination

Data flows

The flow of the data into or out of a process is

represented by curved or straight lines with
arrows.

Transformation
process

The processes that transform data from inputs to

outputs are represented by circles. They are
often referred to as bubbles.

Data stores

The storage of data is represented by two

horizontal lines.

Data Store
(H)
Data Flow
(G)
Data
Source
(A)

Data
Flow
(B)

Data
Flow
(D)

Proces
s
(C)

Data Flow
(E)
Data
Destinati
on
(J)

Proces
s
(F)

Data
Flow
(I)

Data
Destinati
on
(K)

SYSTEM TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION TECHNIQUES

SUBDIVING 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.

2.

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.

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.
4 Categories of flowcharting:
1. Input/ Output Symbols - show input to or output from a system.
2. Processing Symbols - show data processing, either electronically or by hand.
3. Storage Symbols - show 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.
Common Flowcharting Symbols

SYMBOL

NAME

EXPLANATION

Input/ Output Symbols

Document

An electronic or paper document or report.

Multiple copies of
one paper
document

Illustrated by overlapping the document symbol

and printing the document number on the face of
the document in the upper right corner.

Electronic output

Information displayed by an electronic output

device such as a terminal, monitor, or screen.

Electronic data
entry

Electronic data entry device such as a computer,

terminal, tablet, or phone.

Electronic input
and output
device

The electronic data entry and output symbols are

used together to show a device used for both.

Processing Symbols
Computer
processing
Manual operation

A computerperformed processing function;

usually results in a change in data or information.
A processing operation performed manually.

SYSTEM TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION TECHNIQUES

Storage Symbols
Database

Magnetic tape

Data stored electronically in a database.

Data stored on a magnetic tape; tapes are
popular backup storage mediums.

Paper document
file

File of paper documents; letters indicate file

ordering sequence: N = numerically, A =
alphabetically, D = by date.

Journal/ ledger

Paperbased accounting journals and ledgers.

Flow and Miscellaneous Symbols

Document or
processing flow

Direction of processing or document flow; normal

flow is down and to the right.

Communication
links

Transmission of data from one geographic

location to another via communication lines.

On-page
connector

Connects the processing flow on the same page;

its usage avoids lines crisscrossing a page.

Off-page
connector

An entry from, or an exit to, another page.

Terminal

A beginning, end, or point of interruption in a

process; also used to indicate an external party.

Decision

A decisionmaking step.

Annotation

Addition of descriptive comments or explanatory

notes as clarification.

Types of Flowchart

DOCUMENT FLOWCHART Illustrates the flow of documents and data among areas of
responsibility within an organization.

SYSTEM FLOWCHART - Depicts the relationships among system input, processing,

storage, and output.

PROGRAM FLOWCHART Illustrates the sequence of logical operations performed by

a computer in executing a program.

SYSTEM TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION TECHNIQUES

3. Business Process Diagram a visual way to describe the different steps or activities in a
business process.
Business Process Diagram Symbols
SYMBOL

NAME

EXPLANATION

Start/ Begin

The start or beginning of a process is represented

by a small circle.

End
Activity in a
process
Decision

The end of a process is represented by a small

bolded circle.
An activity in a process is represented by a
rounded-edge rectangle. An explanation of the
activity is placed inside the rectangle.
A decision made during the process is
represented by a diamond. An explanation of the
decision is placed inside the symbol.

Flow

The flow of data or information is indicated by an

arrow.

Annotation
information

Information that helps explain a business process

is entered in the BPD and, if needed, a bolded
dashed arrow is drawn from the explanation to
the symbol.