DFD Question

[EZ]

I'm re-posting this again... since someone else has posted a totally
different question within my thread.

Hi all
I'm very new to Visio. I need to create a diagram that explains the
different data sources I used to generate my reports. I have a worksheet in
Excel that linked to MS Access... I use that sheet to generate different
reports. Basically I need to show:
I have linked tblA and tblB from one dB and tblC from another dB and tblD
from a third dB which gets uploaded from an Excel file... I have linked all
these tables to a new master dB, then from there I have created different
joins/queries. I have linked those queries to my main Excel file. Locally
(Excel) I have different forumula to join data from differnt sheets into one
main sheet, then used that sheet to generate my reports.

I'm not sure which diagram to use (i'm using Visio 2007): the one under
Business, Flow Chart, or Software?
This is fairly simple diagram. But I need help on what shapes to use and so
forth.

 

[Paul Herber]

I'm re-posting this again... since someone else has posted a totally
different question within my thread.

Hi all
I'm very new to Visio. I need to create a diagram that explains the
different data sources I used to generate my reports. I have a worksheet in
Excel that linked to MS Access... I use that sheet to generate different
reports. Basically I need to show:
I have linked tblA and tblB from one dB and tblC from another dB and tblD
from a third dB which gets uploaded from an Excel file... I have linked all
these tables to a new master dB, then from there I have created different
joins/queries. I have linked those queries to my main Excel file. Locally
(Excel) I have different forumula to join data from differnt sheets into one
main sheet, then used that sheet to generate my reports.

I'm not sure which diagram to use (i'm using Visio 2007): the one under
Business, Flow Chart, or Software?
This is fairly simple diagram. But I need help on what shapes to use and so
forth.

The diagrams in Business and Flowchart are exactly the same but for
some reason also include states (I also notice that one of the various
Visio clones has copied all the shape names from the Data Flow Diagram
Shapes stencil but misunderstood and incorrectly named one of the
shapes!). The shapes available in the Software version are a
simplified version of a generic DFD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_flow_diagram
is a good starting point.

 

[EZ]

Sorry for the late reply, I was away for a while, but thanks Paul. I will
look closely on the link you have provided.
Just to clarify things, actually all I need is to document how my reports
get generated, so in my absence someone can run the process easily. Something
like:
I used these tables form these databases, then I linked all tables to this
master dB, then created these joins to come with these queries
I ran these calculations
then I linked these queries to MS Excel
I have combined these worksheets in my workbook using these formulas
click here to generate report one
run these macros to sort/filter the report.

Something like that... Do I still need to use a DFD? or could it be
something totally different?

Thanks.

 

[Paul Herber]

Sorry for the late reply, I was away for a while, but thanks Paul. I will
look closely on the link you have provided.
Just to clarify things, actually all I need is to document how my reports
get generated, so in my absence someone can run the process easily. Something
like:
I used these tables form these databases, then I linked all tables to this
master dB, then created these joins to come with these queries
I ran these calculations
then I linked these queries to MS Excel
I have combined these worksheets in my workbook using these formulas
click here to generate report one
run these macros to sort/filter the report.

Something like that... Do I still need to use a DFD? or could it be
something totally different?

Seems to me that just straight plain text will do the job quite
nicely.