Systems Techniques

and Documentation
 Use of Systems Techniques in Systems
Development
• What are the three phases of a systems
development project?
1 Systems analysis
2 Systems design
3 Systems implementation
 Systems Analysis
• Systems analysis involves collecting and organizing facts.
• Systems techniques assist the analyst in performing these
tasks.
• What are some of these techniques?
– matrix techniques
– logical data flow diagrams
 Systems Implementation
• Systems implementation involves the actual carrying out of
the design plan.
• Documentation is one of the most important parts of systems
implementation.
• What systems techniques serve as a documentation tool?
– program flowcharts
– decision tables
 Systems Techniques
• What is a flowchart?
• A flowchart is a symbolic diagram that shows the data
flow and sequence of operations in a system.
• Flowcharts are probably the most common systems
technique.
 Basic Symbols
Input/Output
Process
Flowline
Annotation
 Specialized Input/Output Symbols

Punched Card Punched Tape

On-Line Storage
Magnetic Disk
Magnetic Tape
 Specialized Input/Output Symbols

Document Communication
Link
Manual Input
Off-Line Storage
Display
 Specialized Process Symbols
Auxiliary
Decision Operation
Predefined
Process Merge

Preparation Extract
Collate
Manual
Operation Sort
Additional Symbols
Connector

Off-page Connector Transmittal Tape

Terminal

Parallel Mode
 Symbol Use in Flowcharting
• Symbols are used in a flowchart to represent the
functions of an information or other type of system.
• Normal direction of flow is from left to right and top to
bottom.
• Open arrowheads should be used on reverse-direction
flowlines
Symbol Use in Flowcharting
Normal Direction of Flow
Review
Review
Invoice
Invoice and
and
Approve
Approve

Approved
Approved
Invoice
Invoice
 Symbol Use in Flowcharting
Reverse Flow Shown with Arrowheads

Approved
Approved Review
Review
and
and Invoice
Invoice
Invoice
Invoice
Approve
Approve
Symbol Use in Flowcharting
Use of Connector Symbol
Stores Purchasing
Requisition
Requisition A

Requisition
Requisition
A
 Symbol Use in Flowcharting
Bidirectional Flow Shown with Arrowheads
Requisition
Requisition

Prepare Purchase
Vendor
Vendor
Order and Update
Vendor Files Files
Files
Purchase
Purchase
Order
Order
 Learning Objective
Define common systems techniques, such as
HIPO charts, systems flowcharts, and logical
data flow diagrams.
 IPO and HIPO Charts
• These charts are used primarily by systems development
personnel.
• At the most general level of analysis only the basic input-
process-output relations in a system are of concern.
• Additional processing detail is provided by hierarchy
plus input-process-output.
 IPO Chart
System: Payroll
Author: Mr. Foxx Description: Calculate
Chart Number: 3.1 Gross Pay Date: 6/9/0X
Input Process Output

Payroll job record Accumulate hours worked Gross pay records

Payroll master file Find correct pay rate Payroll master file
Compute gross pay Error messages
 Hierarchy Chart
1.0
Payroll
PayrollSystem
System

2.0 3.0 4.0

Data
DataPreparation
Preparation Processing
Processing Review
Review
 Hierarchy Chart
3.1 3.2
Calculate
CalculateGross
Gross Calculate
CalculateNet
NetPay
Pay
Pay
Pay
3.11 3.12 3.13
Accumulate
AccumulateHours
Hours Find
FindCorrect
CorrectPay
Pay Compute
ComputeGross
Gross
Worked
Worked Rate
Rate Pay
Pay
Each numbered module would be detailed in an IPO chart.
 Systems and Program Flowcharts
• A systems flowchart identifies the overall or broad
flow of operations in a system.
• The focus of systems flowcharting concerns media
and processing functions rather than the detailed
logic of individual processing functions.
 Logical Data Flow
Diagram Symbols

Terminator

Process Data Flow

Data Store
 Data Flow Diagram

Process
Process
Timekeeping
Timekeeping Payroll
Payroll Employees
Employees
Data
Data

Payroll Data
 Data Flow Diagram
Current Status Employee Data

Verify
Verify
Payroll Payroll Data Valid
Timekeeping Payroll
Timekeeping Data Data
Data
P1
P1

Valid Payroll Data

 Data Flow Diagram
Employee Data Net Pay and
Deductions

Data to Process Calculate

Calculate
Pay
Pay Paychecks Employees
Employees
P2
P2

Valid Payroll Data

 Data Flow Diagram
Process
Process
Update
Update Payroll
Payroll Details Journal
Employee
Employee Journal
Journal Data
Files
Files Current
Net Pay and
Deductions

Compute Paychecks Employees

Employees
Compute
Net
NetPay
Pay
 Analytic, Document, and Forms
Distribution Flowcharts
• An analytic flowchart identifies all significant processing
in an application, emphasizing processing tasks that
apply controls.
• In an analytic flowchart the flow of processing is
depicted using symbols connected with flowlines.
 Analytic, Document, and Forms
Distribution Flowcharts
• A document flowchart is similar in format to an analytic
flowchart but contains less detail about the processing
functions of each entity shown on the chart.
• The only symbol used in a document flowchart is the
document symbol.
Analytic, Document, and Forms Distribution
Flowcharts
• The forms distribution chart illustrates the
distribution of multiple copy forms with an
organization.
• The emphasis is on who gets what forms rather
than on how these forms are processed.
 Analytic Flowchart
Purchasing
Purchasing Suppliers
Suppliers
Approve
Approve Select
Vendor Select
Vendor Vendors
Vendors
List
List Request
Request
for
for
Prepare Quotation
Quotation
Prepare
Quotation
Quotation
Request
Request
for
for
Quotation
Quotation
 Analytic Flowchart
Purchasing
Purchasing Suppliers
Suppliers
Quotations
Quotations Quotations
Quotations

Prepare
Prepare
Select
Select Purchase
Bid Purchase
Bid Order
Order
Purchase
Purchase Purchase
Purchase
Order
Order Order
Order
 Document Flowchart
Controller Vice President Manufacturing
Accounts Payable Purchasing Agent Receiving Stores
Purchase
Purchase Purchase
Purchase
Purchase
Purchase Requisition
Requisition Requisition
Requisition
Requisition
Requisition 11 11
22 Purchase
Purchase 2
Purchase
Purchase Order
Order
To Vendor Order 33
Order
Purchase
Purchase 11 Purchase
Purchase
2
Order
Order 34 Order
Order
55 5 44
 Forms Distribution Chart
Purchasing Inventory Payables Production Accounting
Purchase
Order Copy
1 1 1
2 2 2
3 3
4 4
5