DEFINITION
⚫A data flow diagram (DFD) is a graphical
representation of the "flow" of data through a
computer system.
OR
⚫ A data flow diagram looks at how data flows through
a system.
⚫ It concerns things like where the data will come
from and go to as well as where it will be stored.
⚫ But you won't find information about the processing
timing (e.g. whether the processes happen in
sequence or in parallel).
Flow chart shows “ flow of Control “ .
DFD shows “ flow of Data
The flowchart describes boxes that describe
computations, decisions, interactions & loops.
It is important to keep in mind that data flow
diagrams are not flowcharts and should not
include control elements .
DFD
COMPONENTS
Data Flow Diagrams are composed of the four basic
symbols shown below:-
1)External
Entity:-
The sharp cornered rectangles(or simply boxes) in a
DFD indicates entities.
The Ex ternal Entity symbol represents sources of
data to the system or destinations of
data from the system.
Entities are people things, organizations etc
Entity
Doctor
Student
Cashier
Teach
er Manager
Customer User
The rounded cornered rectangles in a DFD indicate
processes
The Process symbol represents an activity that
transfo rms or manipulates the data (combines, reorders,
converts, etc.).
Process
Accounting Grading
System System
Reservation
System
Patient
Marketing Administrati
System on System
Opened sided rectangles in DFD indicates data store.
The Data Store symbol represents data that is not moving
(delayed data at rest).
A Data Store is a repository of data.
Data can be written into the data store. This is depicted
by
an incoming arrow.
Two data stores cannot be connected by a data flow.
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.
4) Data
Flow:-
Arrow symbol in DFD indicate data flow
The Data Flow symbol represents movement of data
EXAMPL
E1
T his diagram represents a
banking process, which
maintains customer
accounts.
In this example, customers can withdraw or deposit
cash, request information about their account or
update their account details.
The five different symbols used in this example
represent the full set of symbols to draw
required
any business process diagram.
Level 0 DFD
• The level 0 DFD (also known as the context
level DFD ) is the simplest DFD.
• The outermost level (Level 0) is concerned with
how the system interacts with the outside world.
• This level basically represents the input and
output of the entire system.
1. Identify your main system
2. Identify the external people who interact with the
system
3. Decide what data these entities will enter into the
system
4. Determine what these entities expect as output from
the system
ORDE
CUSTOM
ER R ORDER
PROCESSING
DELIVE
RY
⚫ The basic module of the system are represented in
this phase and how data moves through different
module is shown.
⚫ The level 1 DFD provides a high –level view of the
system that identifies the major processes and data
stores.
1. Focus on your process and break it into 2 or more
sub-
processes
2. Identify what data flows between these processes
and between the entities
3. Identify W hat permanent data files are used in
this system
4. Note that no new entities can be introduced
Orde
r SALES
CUSTOM
ER PROCESSING
Delivery
Credi
t Orde
Statu
Orde r
s
CUSTOM r
ER Cred ORDER
DATABAS it S
E ACCOUNTI
Custom Statu NG
er s
SYSTEM
no.
Each process from level 1 is exploded even more into sub
processes. This decomposition continues for each level.
The
number of levels possible depends on the
complexity
of the system
1. With a datafl ow diagram, users are able to
visualize how the system will operate, what
the system will accomplish, and how the
system will be implemented
2. Data f low diagrams can be used to
provide the end user with physical idea of
how the
whole data they input ultimately has an
system.
3. eff
The ect upon the structure
old of the
datafl ow diagramscan also be
system’s
drawn up compared with the
and low
dataf diagrams new tosystem’s
draw
comparisons in order to help
implement a more eff icient system.
1) In a DFD external entities are
represented by a
a. Rectangle
b. Ellipse
c. diamond shaped box
d. Circle
A
2) External Entities may be a
a. source of input data only
b. source of input data or destination of results
c. destination of results only
d. repository of data
B
3) A datastore in a DFD represents
a. a sequential file
b. a disk store
c. a repository of data
d. a random access memory
C
4) A datacannot flow between a store and
(i) a store
(ii)a process
(iii)an external entity
a. i and iii
b. i and ii
c. ii and iii
d. ii
A
5) Data cannot flow from an external entity
to an external entity because
a. it will get corrupted
b. it is not allowed in DFD
c. an external entity has no mechanism to read or write
d. both are outside the context of the system
D
6) A dataflow can
a. only enter a data store
b. only leave a data store
c. enter or leave a data store
d. either enter or leave a data store but not both
C
Quantit
Quantity
Cost/unit y
BBiilllli
inngg
Discou
Discount
nt PPrroo
cceesss
A s
Order Out
to of
vendo stoc
r k
Billin
g
Proc
es
Too much
stock
B
B
10) By leveling a DFD we mean
a. splitti ng it into different levels
b. make its structure uniform
c.expanding a process into one with more sub-processes giving more
detail
d. summarizing a DFD to specify only the essentials
C
B
12) Data flow in a DFD must have
(i)an arrow showing direction of flow of
data (ii)a meaningful name
(iii) a label such as: xyz
(iv)no arrows as they are confusing
a. i and iii
b. ii and iv
c. iii and iv
A
A general DFD for an airline reservation
system
