Identification of Entities and Activities

1

IDENTIFICATION OF ENTITIES AND ACTIVITIES

ERA Restaurant Jobbers

Background: ERA Restaurant Jobbers employs several fieldrepresentatives to service client restaurants in western Oregon.The representatives travel from restaurant to restaurant fillingorders for many of the staple goods such as flour, sugar,condiments, vegetables, and so forth.

Narrative for DFDs:

From a client restaurant a representativewillpick up a signed order sheet from the restaurant manager for thequantities desired of each item sold by ERA. (1)

From his (her) car, the representativeconnects to ERA’s orderprocessing computer package (on the computer) using a laptop computer and acellular phone. (2)

The representativeenters the customer number intothe computer; (3)

and then (the representative) enters item numbers and quantities of eachitem requested. (4)

The computercaptures the customer number and order information (5)

and then (the computer) reads the accounts receivable master file to verify that then customer has sufficient credit to allow the transaction. (6)

If thetransaction is allowed, the computer then displays an approvalscreen on the representative’s computer (7)

and(the computer) recordsthe salesinformation in a “sales order database” (8)

and(the computer) prints two copies of thesales order on a laser printer in the representative’s car. (9)

The representativereconciles the printed sales order to the requesthe keyed in and (10)

then(The representative)enters a code into the computer to execute thesales transaction. (11)

[When the representative enters the code,] thecomputerupdates the sales order database and the accountsreceivable master file to reflect the execution. (12)

The representativetakesa copy of the sales order to the manager of the restaurant. (13)

TABLE OF ACTIVITIES (IDENTIFICATION OF ENTITY ACTIVITIES AND FLOWS)

ERA Restaurant Jobbers

Background: ERA Restaurant Jobbers employs several field representatives to service client restaurants in western Oregon. The representatives travel from restaurant to restaurant filling orders for many of the staple goods such as flour, sugar, condiments, vegetables, and so forth.

Narrative for DFDs:

1. From a client restaurant a representativewill pick up a signed order sheet from the restaurant manager for the quantities desired of each item sold by ERA. (1)

1. From his (her) car, the representativeconnects to ERA’s order processing computer package (on the computer) using a laptop computer and a cellular phone. (2)

1. The representativeenters the customer number into the computer; (3)

1. and then (the representative) enters item numbers and quantities of each item requested. (4)

1. The representativereconciles the printed sales order to the request he keyed in and (10)

1. then (The representative)enters a code into the computer to execute the sales transaction. (11)

1. The representativetakesa copy of the sales order to the manager of the restaurant. (13)

1. The computercaptures the customer number and order information (5)

1. and then (the computer) reads the accounts receivable master file to verify that then customer has sufficient credit to allow the transaction. (6)

1. If the transaction is allowed, the computer then displays an approval screen on the representative’s computer (7)

1. and (the computer) records the sales information in a “sales order database” (8)

1. and (the computer) prints two copies of the sales order on a laser printer in the representative’s car. (9)

1. [When the representative enters the code,] the computerupdates the sales order database and the accounts receivable master file to reflect the execution. (12)

ORDER OF ACTIVITIES 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 12 5 6 13 7

Physical DFD (remove the numbers to get the final diagram)

TRY TO LOGICALLY GROUP THE ACTIVITIES

ORDER OF ACTIVITIES 1 2 3 4 8 | 9 10 | 11 12 | 5 6 13 7

Capture transaction / approve order / record data / execute transaction

Narrative for DFDs:

1. From a client restaurant a representativewill pick up a signed order sheet from the restaurant manager for the quantities desired of each item sold by ERA. (1)

1. From his (her) car, the representativeconnects to ERA’s order processing computer package (on the computer) using a laptop computer and a cellular phone. (2)

1. The representativeenters the customer number into the computer; (3)

1. and then (the representative) enters item numbers and quantities of each item requested. (4)

1. The representativereconciles the printed sales order to the request he keyed in and (10)

1. then (The representative)enters a code into the computer to execute the sales transaction. (11)

1. The representativetakesa copy of the sales order to the manager of the restaurant. (13)

1. The computercaptures the customer number and order information (5)

1. and then (the computer) reads the accounts receivable master file to verify that then customer has sufficient credit to allow the transaction. (6)

1. If the transaction is allowed, the computer then displays an approval screen on the representative’s computer (7)

1. and (the computer) records the sales information in a “sales order database” (8)

1. and (the computer) prints two copies of the sales order on a laser printer in the representative’s car. (9)

1. [When the representative enters the code,] the computerupdates the sales order database and the accounts receivable master file to reflect the execution. (12)