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chaPter 8 • analyzing systems Using Data Dictionaries 223

Figure 8.13
Data stores derived from a
Customer Master = pending order at World’s Trend
Catalog Division.
Customer Number +
Customer Name +
Address +
Telephone +
Corporate Credit Card Number +
Expiration Date
Item Master =
Item Number +
Price +
Quantity on Hand
Order Record =
Customer Number +
Catalog Number +
Order Date +
{Available Order Items} +
Merchandise Total +
(Tax) +
Shipping and Handling +
Order Total +
Method of Payment +
(Credit Card Type) +
(Credit Card Number) +
(Expiration Date)
Available Order Items = Item Number +
Quantity Ordered +
Quantity Shipped +
Current Price
Method of Payment =
[Check Charge Money Order]
Credit Card Type = [World’s Trend American Express MasterCard Visa]

becoming sidetracked with the building of a complete data dictionary, a systems analyst should
view it as an activity that parallels systems analysis and design.
To have maximum power, the data dictionary should be tied into a number of systems pro-
grams so that when an item is updated or deleted from the data dictionary, it is automatically
updated or deleted from the database. The data dictionary becomes simply a historical curiosity
if it is not kept current.
The data dictionary may be used to create screens, reports, and forms. For example, examine
the data structure for the World’s Trend ORDER PICKING SLIP in Figure 8.14. Because the
necessary elements and their lengths have been defined, the process of creating physical docu-
ments consists of arranging the elements in a pleasing and functional way using design guide-
lines and common sense.
Repeating groups become columns, and structural records are grouped together on the
screen, report, or form. The report layout for the World’s Trend ORDER PICKING SLIP is
shown in Figure 8.15. Notice that FIRST NAME and LAST NAME are grouped together in
NAME and that QUANTITY (PICKED and ORDERED), SECTION, SHELF NUMBER, ITEM
NUMBER, ITEM DESCRIPTION, SIZE, and COLOR form a series of columns because they
are the repeating elements.
The data structure and elements for a data store are commonly used to generate correspond-
ing computer language source code, which is then incorporated into computer programs. The