Unit 3

DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

• Developing Data Flow Diagrams(DFD)

a) What are DFDs?
b) Symbols used in DFD
c) Rules of data flow
d) Good style in drawing DFD
• Describing systems with DFD & Levelling DFDs
• Logical & Physical DFDs
 DFD

•DFD introduced by De Marco(1978) and

Gane and Sarson(1979).

•It is important tool used by System Analyst

 WHY DFD ?

• Graphical nature makes it a good communication tool

between
-User and analyst
-Analyst and System designer

• Structure of DFD allows starting from a broad

overview and expand it to a hierarchy of detailed
diagrams
 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

WHAT ARE DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS?

DFDs models the system by depicting

 External entities from which the data flows and
where results terminate
 Processes which transform data flows
 Data stores from which the data are read or into
which data are written by the processes.
 SYMBOLS USED IN DFD

PROCESS
Stores demand
note 1.
STORES Issue Advice

Delivery slip

 A circle represents a process

 Straight lines with incoming arrows are input data flows
 Straight lines with outgoing arrows are output data flows
 Processes are given serial numbers for easy reference
 Labels are assigned to Data flow. These helps documentatio
 SYMBOLS USED IN DFD

EXTERNAL ENTITIES
Order
Invoice
VENDOR Customer
Bill

 A Rectangle represents an external entity

 They either supply data or receive data
 They do not process data
 SYMBOLS USED IN DFD

DATA STORES

Inventory Writing Reading

 A Data Store is a repository of data
 Data can be written into the data store
This is depicted by an incoming arrow
 Data can be read from a data store
This is depicted by an outgoing arrow
 External entity cannot read or write to the data store
 Two data stores cannot be connected by a data flow
 RULES OF DATA FLOW

• Data can flow from

-external entity to process
-process to external entity
-process to store and back
-process to process

• Data cannot flow from

-external entity to external entity
-external entity to store
-store to external entity
-store to store
 DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS

An alternate notation is often used

3 Label
A Process
Store
Name
Issue

A Data store DS1 Inventory Name

Label
 GOOD STYLE IN DRAWING DFD

 Use meaningful names for data flows, processes and

data stores.
 Use top down development starting from context
diagram and successively levelling DFD

 Only previously stored data can be read

 A process can only transfer input to output.It cannot

create new data
 Data stores cannot create new data
 DESCRIBING A SYSTEM WITH A DFD

 An entire system is represented by one DFD which

gives the system’s overview
 It is called a context diagram
 It gives little detail & is also known as the top level DFD

 Context diagram of mess management is shown in the

next transparency
 CONTEXT DIAGRAM OF MESS
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Extras Note
Students Vendors
Requisitions
Payments
Payments Supplies
Mess
Bills Management Mess secretary
Daily rate
System
Menu
Perishable
Items Item needed
Each day Overdue Bills
Mess manager Overdue Chief warden
Payments

• Observe this diagram gives very little detail

 LEVELLING DFD

 A context diagram gives an overview

 It should be split into major processes which give
greater detail.
 Each major process is further split to give more detail.
 WHY LEVEL DFD?

 If a DFD is too detailed it will have too many data

flows and will be large and difficult to understand

 Start from a broad overview. Expand to details - Idea

similar to using procedures and linking these with a main
program

 Each DFD must deal with one aspect of a big system

 LEVELLING EXAMPLES
Top
Ext A Ext B
Level process

Ext A 1 2 4 Ext B

F1 F4

Process 1 Process 2

Ext A 1.1 1.2 1.4 2.1 2.2 2.3

F1

1.3

3.1 3.2 3.4 Ext B 4.3 4.1 4.2

F4

3.3
 EXPANDED DFD FOR HOSTEL MESS
MANAGEMENT

Mess
Students Secretary Chief Warden

Payments Update daily

rate Unpaid bills

Itemized bills at end 1 Items used each day

of month Billing
system
Extras/Rebates
Student billing
Expenses Information + bills
No of meals Mess manager
(today +3)
• Going to next process (Continued in next slide)
 EXPANDED DFD FOR HOSTEL MESS MANAGEMENT

•Continued Low stock (today+2)

Items to be issued
2 (today +2)
Vendor supplies Mess
Stores issue
Vendors and
Order non- Items used Manager
Control today
perishable system
Menu
(today +2)
Vendor data
Stores
inventory
Order data Mess
Secretary
Perishable order 3 Vegetables and perishable
Perishable requisition
Orders ordering
Vendor data
(perishable)
(perishable)
 EXPANDED DFD-BILLING SYSTEM

Payments
Itemized 1.2
bills Calculate Unpaid
Bills bills Chief
Mess Student’s 1.3
bills Reconcile warden
Secretary
payments
Students data
Extras/Rebates Students data
Daily rate average
1.4 (upto date)
Find no 1.1
Of meals Calculate
No of meals to cook Daily rate
(today + 2)
Expenses data
Mess
Students data Manager Items rate data
• Observe numbering of processes
 LEVELLING RULES

 If process p is expanded, the process at the next

level are labeled as p.1,p.2 etc.
 All data flow entering or leaving p must also enter or
leave its expanded version.
 Expanded DFD may have data stores
 No external entity can appear in expanded DFD
 Keep the number of processes at each level less
than 7.
 ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTS IN DFD

 No loops are allowed in DFD

 A process cannot be a pure decision
Actual rate > Standard rate
Actual daily rate
Compare
Standard daily rate Actual rate <= Standard rate
 A single data flow should not be split into many flows
with different labels

 No data flow allowed between data stores

 ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTS IN DFD

Record
Get students Calculate
extra/rebates Bill
record Ask for next record

Extra/rebate store
• Not correct as loop is formed
 LEVELLING EXAMPLES
Low stock item
(today +2) No of meals to
be cooked
Mess manager (today +2)
Items to be used
on (today +2)

Items issued

Low message stock

2
Stores issue
Order for items Mess secretary
and
Menu for
control system
(Today +2)
Vendor supplies

Order

Stores inventory Vendor

Vendor

Stores issue control system process

 LEVELLING EXAMPLES

2.1
2.2
Inventory update
Mess manager Create order
And
Items used low stock warning Low stock for vendor

today item

Items needed
From 2.3
Vendor Stores inventory Order Vendor data
supplies
Vendor
Order to vendor

2.3 2.4
Calculate Items Check Item
needed availability
Mess secretary Items needed Low stock items
Menu
(today +2) (today+2)
No of meals to Stores
(today +2) inventory
 LOGICAL AND PHYSICAL DFD

 DFD’S considered so far are called logical DFDs

 A physical DFD is similar to a document flow
diagram.
 Logical DFD depicts operations of the system

 Physical DFD may depict physical movements of the

goods
 Physical DFDs can be drawn during fact gathering
phase of a life cycle
PHYSICAL DFD FOR ENCASHING CHEQUE

Cash

Token
Clerk
Verify A/C Cashier
Signature Verify Token
Customer Cheque Update Cheque with Take Signature
Token Balance Token number

Store cheques Entry in

Day Book
Bad Cheque

Customer
Accounts
LOGICAL DFD FOR CHEQUE ENCASHMENT

Check Cheque with

Retrieve Store
Cheque Balance, Token
Customer Token no
Issue
Record & cheques
token

Token Slip Cheque store

Or cheque With token no.
Cheque Customer
accounts
Search Update
Customer & match Daily
token Cheque with cash book
token
Token Slip Day book
Cash
Example

• Consider a system for Gyms. Applicant before the admission,

submits a form containing details like house address. date of
birth, age, father name and also submit Medical Certificate &
Fees. The Gym Manager issue I-Card to applicants &
assigned Trainer to specific batch, Batch contains 10
Applicant. Membership is given for yearly, quarterly or
Monthly Basis. Draw Context Level DFD
 Flowchart

• A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents

an algorithm, workflow or process.

• Flowcharts are used in analyzing, designing,

documenting or managing a process or program in
various fields
• Guidelines for Developing Flowcharts

• Flowchart can have only one start and one stop

symbol
• On-page connectors are referenced using numbers
• Off-page connectors are referenced using alphabets
• General flow of processes is top to bottom or left to
right
• Arrows should not cross each other
Benefits of Flowchart

1. Simplify the Logic

2. Makes Communication Better
3. Effective Analysis
4. Useful in Coding
5. Proper Testing
6. Applicable Documentation
• Start and end
represented by ovals or rounded rectangles, usually contain the word
"Start" or "End", or another phrase signaling the start or end of a
process, such as "submit enquiry" or "receive product“

• Arrow
show what's called "flow of control" in computer science. An arrow
coming from one symbol and ending at another symbol signifies flow
passes to the symbol the arrow points to.

• Processing steps
represented by rectangles. Examples: "Add 1 to X"; "replace identified
part"; "save changes" or similar.
• Input/output
represented by a parallelogram. Examples: Get X from the user; display
X

• Conditional
is represented by a diamond. These typically contain a Yes/No question
or True/False test.
• Document
represented by a rectangle with a wavy base;

• Manual input
represented by a rectangle, with the top irregularly sloping up
from left to right. An example would signify data-entry from a
form

• Off-Page Connector
Off-Page Connector shows continuation of a process flowchart
onto another page.
• Manual operation
represented by a trapezoid with the longest parallel side
upmost, to represent an operation or adjustment to process that
can only be made manually.

• Data File
represented by a cylinder

• On-page reference
Indicates that the next or previous step is somewhere else on
the flowchart. It is particularly useful for large flowcharts.
Program Flowchart
System Flowchart

• A system flowchart is a diagram that describes how an entire system

operates. It helps to recognize the flow of operations in the system. It
also helps in preparing the required documents of the system.
System Flowchart: This template shows the
flow for logging into an online service.
Example

• Draw a flowchart for Order an Apple iPhone 8 (PRODUCT)RED

(Red, 64 GB) from Flipkart
 Structure chart

• Structure chart is a chart derived from Data Flow

Diagram
• It represents the system in more detail than DFD.
• It breaks down the entire system into lowest
functional modules, describes functions and sub-
functions of each module of the system to a greater
detail than DFD.
• Structure chart represents hierarchical structure of
modules. At each layer a specific task is performed.
Symbols used in construction of structure
charts -
• Module - It represents process or subroutine or task. A control
module branches to more than one sub-module. Library Modules are
re-usable and invokable from any module.
• Condition -
• It is represented by small diamond at the base of module.
• It depicts that control module can select any of sub-routine based on
some condition.
• Jump - An arrow is shown pointing inside the module to depict that the
control will jump in the middle of the sub-module
• Loop- A curved arrow represents loop in the module. All sub-modules
covered by loop repeat execution of module.
• Data flow - A directed arrow with empty circle at the end represents
data flow.
• Control flow - A directed arrow with filled circle at the end
represents control flow
 STRUCTURE CHARTS
• A structure chart (module chart, hierarchy chart) is a graphic
depiction of the decomposition of a problem.
• It is a tool to aid in software design. It is particularly helpful on large
problems.A structure chart illustrates the partitioning of a problem
into subproblems and shows the hierarchical relationships among the
parts. A classic "organization chart" for a company is an example of a
structure chart.
• The top of the chart is a box representing the entire problem, the
bottom of the chart shows a number of boxes representing the less
complicated subproblems. (Left-right on the chart is irrelevant.)
• A structure chart is NOT a flowchart. It has nothing to do with the
logical sequence of tasks. It does NOT show the order in which tasks
are performed. It does NOT illustrate an algorithm.
• Each block represents some function in the system, and thus should
contain a verb phrase, e.g. "Print report heading."
• The top of the chart is a box representing the entire problem, the
bottom of the chart shows a number of boxes representing the less
complicated subproblems. (Left-right on the chart is irrelevant.)
• A structure chart is NOT a flowchart. It has nothing to do with the
logical sequence of tasks. It does NOT show the order in which tasks
are performed. It does NOT illustrate an algorithm.
• Each block represents some function in the system, and thus should
contain a verb phrase, e.g. "Print report heading."