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chaPter 8 • analyzing systems Using Data Dictionaries 225

World’s Trend
Order Number: Order Picking Slip
999999
Customer Number: 999999
Order Date Z9/99/9999
Name:
Street: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Apartment: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
City, State, Zip
Country: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, XX 99999-ZZZZ
Telephone: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
(999) 999-9999
---- Quantity ----
Picked Ordered Section Shelf Item
Number
Number
Item Description
ZZZZ9 XXXXX Size Color
99999
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 99999 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 99999 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
99999
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 99999 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 99999 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
99999
ZZZZ9 XXXXX 99999 999999 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
999999
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Number of Items: Z9 XXXXXXXX

Figure 8.15
Order picking slip created from the data dictionary.

used to create web pages, but is more powerful. HTML is concerned primarily with formatting a
document; XML addresses the problem of sharing data when users have different computer sys-
tems and software or different database management systems (for example, one company using
Oracle and another using IBM’s DB2). If everyone used the same software or database manage-
ment system, there would be little need for XML.
Once an XML document has been created, the data may be transformed into a number of
different output formats and displayed in many different ways, including printed output, web
pages, output for a handheld device, and portable document format (PDF) files. Thus, the docu-
ment’s data content is separated from the output format. The XML content is defined once as
data and then transformed as many times as necessary.
The advantage of using an XML document is that the analyst may select only the data that
an internal department or external partner needs to have in order to function. This helps to ensure
the confidentiality of data. For example, a shipping company may receive only the customer
name, the address, the item number, and the quantity to ship, but not credit card information or
other financial data. This efficient approach also cuts down on information overload.
Using XML, therefore, is a way to define, sort, filter, and translate data into a universal data
language that can be used by anyone. XML may be created from databases, a form, or software
programs, or it may be keyed directly into a document, a text editor, or an XML entry program.
The data dictionary is an ideal starting point for developing XML content. The key to
using XML is creating a standard definition of the data. This is accomplished by using a
set of tags or data names that are included before and after each data element or struc-
ture. The tags become the metadata, or data about the data. Data may be further subdivided