TPS
(Transaction Process Systems)
Option Topic
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Transaction Process System
• Transaction – A transaction is the
process of changing or creating data.
• Transaction processing information
systems record and manage all the data
within a system but little or none is
converted to information.
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Batch Processing
• Is a form of transaction processing.
• Definition :- is the processing of previously
collected data. The processing occurs without
any interaction with users.
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Batch Processing
• Involves the collection and storage of data
that represented the transaction.
• Data is then processed at a later time.
• Examples : Payroll, bank transactions
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Batch Processing
– Batch process will stop and the error must be
corrected and the entire process restarted.
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Batch Processing
– Batch processing can be run:
• As a regularly scheduled event
• As a fully automated process
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Batch Processing
• Disadvantages
– Must have exclusive access and control over
its data files.
– Will be halted (stopped) immediately of an
error occurs
– Does not provide data that are fully current.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Activity
There are five kinds of files used in TPS. Define
and describe each type.
1. Master File
2. Transaction File
3. Report File
4. Work File
5. Program File
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Real-time processing
• Real Time Processing – occurs when a
user or device makes a request for
processing to occur.
• The request is performed in real-time
(immediately) and gives an immediate
result (real-time result).
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Real-time processing
• Example
– When a thermostat detects a fall in the
temperature, an environmental control
computer can immediately increase the
energy output from a heater.
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Real-time processing
• Advantages
– Reflects the current situation
– All processing takes place during the
transaction.
– Allows for quicker response, such as moving
a joystick.
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Data Validation
• In real-time systems allows correction to be
made as the data is entered. For example, it can
to ensure a user has entered a number.
• Real time data validation gives instant feedback
to the user and produces an error report or
message such that the error can be fixed before
the batch processing task begins.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Data Validation
• Can be validated on the basis of:
• The correct data type
• The correct sign – positive of negative
• Required data – data needs to present in some
fields
• Within a data range
• Data correctly aligned in the field, for example right
justified.
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Data Validation
• Data Types:
• Alphanumeric – all keyboard activities
• Numeric – numbers
• Alphabetic – letters only
• Boolean – true or false
• Currency – numeric, with the dollar or other
currency symbol
• Date – day, month, year in a set format
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Data Validation
• Historical Significance
– The manual systems included:
– Gathering data on paper applications
– Transferring the data to their own system for storage
– Storing data in records in a sequence so that they could
be easily retrieved
– Transcribing information to invoices, orders and accounts
– Updating records with additions, deletions and editing.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
•Describe the steps for a Motel Reservation
System.
•Explain the difference between users and
participants in a TPS.
•Why is Bill generation done in batch?
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Examples of TPS
• Reservation System (travel agent)
–Components
• Staff of the travel agent
• Suppliers of reservations such as the airlines
• Flow of information between the customer and the airline
• Flow of information between the travel agent and the airline
• Flow of information to its accounts
• The hardware and software
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Dataflow diagram
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Examples of TPS
• Data/Information
– The customer’s details
– Approval of EFTPOS transaction
– Reservation and ticketing information
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Examples of TPS
• Participants and users
– Include the following:
• Reservation clerk (person)
• Airport ticket clerk
• Customer (user because they benefit through its
operation by receiving a confirmed booking, also
receive their printed ticket, and can be a direct
user when using the Internet to book)
• Management personnel
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Examples of TPS
• Information Technology (IT)
– Real-time reservation systems (application).
These are provided by the airline such that
travel agents or customers can book tickets
etc.
– EFTPOS terminals
– Database management systems that store the
data.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
• 1.Explain the difference between
hierarchical, network and relational
databases
• 2.Explain the statement … “ data stored
in a data warehouse is accurate as it
represents historical information
• 3. What is data consolidation
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
• Digital Data in databases and files
– Sequential Access
• Stores its records in a set sequence. This
sequence may be based on the contents of a
selected key field or simply on the order the
records were entered into the system.
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Record 1
A 4 5 1 3 8 2 0 4 5 5 6 0 0
Product code no Supplier code Stock level Recorder level
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• Accessing
– Two methods are used:
1. – the search starts at
the beginning of the file and each record
is loaded and examined until the record
is found or the last record has been
reached.
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Wilson
Unger
Taylor
Found
Smith
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Nakajima
• Example (Linear Search)
Miller
Leigh
Green
Edwards
Baker
Smith
Anderson
2. – the search starts at
the middle of the data file and divides it
into 2 halves. The middle record is
examined and is compared to content of
the search field. If the value is “greater”
then it looks in the upper half, if the value
is “lower” then it looks in the bottom half.
This is repeated until the record is found
or not found.
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• Binary Search
– It is important to note that the
records must be ordered first.
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• Example (Binary Search)
– Smart board
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– Has a separate file containing the key field value
and location of every data record in the main file.
– Stores two files
1. The main data file
2. The index file
– Note: if the main file is changed, for example sorted,
then the index file must also be updated. Other
things that will cause the index file to be updated is
deleting, adding a record.
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1329965
0012756 1752815 1329965 1288740 1004523 Key Field
Index file
1 15 10 3 4 Record field
Database Record 1 Record 10
File
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• A storage location for every record is then
calculated by:
• Dividing the key field value of the record by the
number of storage locations
• The remainder left after the division becomes the
location number for that particular record.
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• Advantages
– Fast system of storage
– Not needing a separate file for an index file.
• Disadvantages
– Need extra processing time and power.
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Activity
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Paper Storage
• Paper records were used back in the old
days…
• Disadvantages
– The storage index or catalogue system
must be maintained
– Difficult to find (manually) all the
occurrences of text in multiple documents
– Sorting large quantities of paper documents
is a slow and unreliable system.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Paper Storage
• Alternative is to convert these paper
documents into a digital form through a
process called digitisation.
• This can be done in two ways:
1. Document Imaging – creates a bit-mapped image of
the document. That is, takes a photo of the page.
2. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – creates a
text-based file from a paper document.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Electronic Documents
• Currently no universally
accepted standard for
storing and presenting
electronic documents.
• Two most common
are:-
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Electronic Documents
Advantages Disadvantages
Web (HTML) • format is public domain with • text and images are
a wide range of free and separate files which makes
commercial software management more
•Standard controlled by complicated
international body
•Compatible with all web
browsers
Adobe PDF • text and images are all in • a proprietary format owned
the same file by a single company
• contents, index file lists, • A separate software
bookmarks can all be inserted package must be purchased
into the document • Needs separate browser
• documents can have secure plugin for viewing PDF files
features inserted on the web
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Electronic Documents
(management systems)
• Provides the hardware and software tools
for creating, distributing and management
digitised paper documents.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Electronic Documents
(management systems)
– A database program to search and organise
documents
– An optical scanner
– OCR software
– metadata
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Electronic Documents
(management systems)
• EDMS has the following features:
– Allows multiple versions of a document to be stored
– Check-in, check-out, audit trail and document access
security
– Document fingerprinting to establish a documents
creation and origin information
– Different distribution and presentation formats
– Automatic cataloguing process, updating of indexes,
links
– Automatic cataloguing
– Copyright management
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Data Warehouse
– A database of cleaned data and the
metadata that describes it.
• Large organisations use different storage
systems. Each system may use:
–Different application programs to
store the data
–Different ways of storing data
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Data Warehouse
• This allows managers to:
• Gain a real-time image of the organisation
• Make queries regarding the real-time status
• Help them make decisions in response to the changing
environment
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Activity
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• Backup
– Is stored on media such
as:
– Magnetic tape
– DVD
– Memory Stick
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• Backup Types
1. Grandfather, father, son
– Three sets of backups
– Stores the current (latest) backup and the two
previous ones.
– Each backup is considered to be a generation
in a family.
– Grandfather is the oldest, followed the father
and the son is the newest backup.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
1. Grandfather, father, son
– Advantages
• Allows the data to be recovered from the latest
three backup cycles.
– Disadvantage
• If the data is damaged before a backup occurs
then this corrupted data can flow on through
each subsequent backup.
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• 1. Grandfather, father, son
• Diagrammatic View (page 162 Figure 4.15)
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• 2. Off-site Storage
– Refers to a location that is physically
separated from the main system. A different
building is off-site.
– Data is protected from theft, fire and water
damage.
– Time taken to recover the data
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– Refers to a location that is physically close to the
system.
– Gives faster access to the backup data but requires
extra precautions.
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– To ensure it is secure and reliable the following
can be done:
• Computer can contain several hard drives
• Entire computer system can be a mirror of the main
computer
• The installation of an un-interruptable power supply (UPS)
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• 4. Partial backups
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• 4. Partial backups
– Three general types of backups:
1. Full – involves making a copy of all the files
stored on a system and is time consuming
2. Differential – all the files that have been
changed since the last full backup are copied
3. Incremental – only the files that have been
changed since the last backup are copied
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Advantages Disadvantages
Incremental • faster backups • the full backup plus all the
• uses less space daily backups have to be
loaded to restore all the data
Differential • the full backup and only the • slow
last daily backup have to be • each backup needs more
loaded to restore all the data space
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• Recovery Testing
–After a backup has been created it
should be restored into a temporary
directory to tested.
• Backup Media
–Tapes are still the preferred media
–More common are CD and high capacity
disks
–Page 164 (table 4.5)
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• Specialised backup software
–All OS allow users to make backup copies
–Specialised software features include:-
• Combination of backup methods
• Optional compression
• Unattended backup
• Scheduled backup allowing overnight operation
• Encryption features
• Logs for success of the backups
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– Involves following a set routine or steps and
performing these in order.
– One common type is a sequential tape
rotation scheme. Ensures all the data are
backed up and easily recoverable.
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• Updating in batch
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• Examples
– Employee time sheets
– Written applications for university applications
– Checking stock levels
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– Are data that are vital for an organisation to
function
– Example:-
–Flight reservations for airlines
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• In the early days data was stored on punch
cards ( have holes in different locations
as a method of storing data).
• The cards are fed into a scanner in
sequence to ensure data accuracy.
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• Example
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• Tape-based updates
– Another early method of storage was magnetic
tape.
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• Steps in batch update process
– Create a transaction file
– Add records to the transaction file
– Create new master file by merging the old
master file with the transaction file.
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New Transaction file
Update
Transaction file
Sort Transaction file
file
Master Merge
data files Master file
file
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– Uses direct access storage devices
– Allow updating of the data in online systems
– Use pointers and hashed storage system to
find a record.
– Need to ensure only one person can access a
file at a time.
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– Reading the key field from the transaction file
– Using hash storage calculation to locate the
same record
– If the master record is in use, need to wait
until it is released
– Update the master record
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Read Transaction
Record file
Calculate
Location
Write
Record to Master
file file
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• Collecting in Transaction Processing
– Inputting data
• Data collection involves using hardware such as:
– MICR machines
– Barcode scanner
– ATM
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– A system that uses unique characters and ink that is
read by a magnetic reader and then converted to a
character.
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• Example
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– Are optical scanning
input devices that
recognise a barcode
on merchandise.
– Mainly used in retail
industry to reduce
input time.
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– Are computer terminals
that are connected via a
WAN to a central bank
computer.
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• Collecting from forms
–Data can be collected from paper forms
–The advantages are:
• Can be stored and processed in batches
• Can be signed unlike electronic forms
–The disadvantages are:
• they can accept invalid data
• User may miss required fields
• Copies of large amounts of forms is expensive
• Difficult and bulky to store
• Writing may be hard to read
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
• Collecting from screens
– the design of the data entry screen will affect
the reliability of the data it collects
• Design principles are:
– Sufficient white space to reduce clutter
– Limited number of bland colours as a theme
– Aligning objects
– Using common screen design
– Making commonly used commands as icons
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• Collecting from screens
– A screen should be:
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• Collecting from the web
– Allow data to be collected in both real time and as
a batch process.
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• Example
– User navigates/surfs the internet
– User fills in and submits a form
– User enters a site that requires a username and
password
– User enters a pay service web site and completes a
form with the details of their employees’ fortnight
shift.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
• Collecting from the web
– Some common elements on a web site which
contain forms are:
• A submit button to send in the form (data).
• A re-enter, reset or clear button that allows the
user clear information from the form
• Use of frames on the website to allow the user to
scroll through sections of the website while other
sections remain still.
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• Designing the page for a screen resolution of
800 x 600 as a minimum. This will ensure the
form will fit on the screen.
• Common set of colours used (216 colours)
• Using a older scripting language (a
programming language or metalanguage that
is used to create forms and pages on the web.
For example, JavaScript)
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– Using the output of one transaction or process
as input into another transaction within the
system.
– Example
• Monthly sales account reports to provide a graph
that summarises the annual sales performance of
a company
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• Activity
• What is back up
• What is recovery
• Why is magnetic tape often used in backup and
update
• What are the 2 stages of batch updating
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• Changing Nature of Work
– Research and list the affect of TPS on
society.
– Page 174 (Information Processes and
Technology – Jacaranda)
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• Safeguards against failure
– System failure can cause disruptions well beyond
the immediate system and its participants.
– A disaster plan is a plan of action to recover from
events that shut down or damage major
information systems.
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– Data bias can start with the collection of data.
– How and where the data are collected, and
who collects them can introduce bias, both
intentional and accidental.
– Data bias – is inaccuracy in data caused by
the way data are collected, processed or
presented.
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protects a system’s data against
accidental and deliberate damage.
– Important because data can be expensive to
collect, confidential, and vital to an organisation.
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– Measures include:-
• Passwords and usernames to limit access
to data. That is, giving users the
appropriate level of security (access).
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– Data accuracy is the correctness of the data
entered in a processing system.
– Data entered at the keyboard can be
validated and checked by:
• Testing the correct data type
• Testing that it is within a reasonable or correct
data range
• Double entry – two people enter the same data
and is only accepted if both are the same.
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– Data integrity is the reliability of the data in a
processing system.
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Data integrity
Describes the reliability of the data
Involves the accuracy and relevance of
the data
Requires each transaction to pass an
ACID test
ACID Test
Atomicity – occurs when all steps involved in a
transaction are completed successfully as a
group. If any step fails, then no other step
should be completed
Consistency – occurs when a transaction
successfully transforms the system from one
state to another
Isolation – occurs if a transaction is processed
concurrently with another and still behaves as
if was the only one. Transactions must not
interfere with each other
Durability – occurs if all the changes that a
transaction makes to the database become
permanent when the transaction is complete
Exercise
What is the purpose of ACID test?
Identify the jobs that have changed as a result
of TPS
Explain the difference between encryption and
firewalls
Why are non computer procedures needed in
TPS
How is internet affecting TPS
• Activity
1. Describe the implications for a user of a
system given the ease of monitoring users
through a computer network.
• Describe:
• collecting.
• storing.
• Web form
• What are the advantages of using a MICR system?
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Analysing Data
The results of the TPS are stored in
databases and are analysed in many
ways to meet other users needs
The output from the TPS is the input to
other types of information systems such
as decision support system and
management support systems
Decision Support Systems
Assists people to make informed decisions by
providing information, models, and analysis tools
TPS usually provide information to the DSS
DSS summarizes this data and provides a
summary of information to decision makers of the
organization
Sometimes there is overload of information
Data Mining is used in the case of information
overload
Data Mining
Is used in DSS to find patterns and
relationships in the data stored in a
database
It sorts through all data and provides
interesting and often useful connections
Data mining is also useful for analysing
data
Management Information
Systems
Provide information for the organisations
managers
MIS presents basic facts about the
performance of the organisation
Some common examples of MIS outputs
are sales reports, inventory report,
payroll, orders and budget, etc
Exercise
What is the purpose of Data Mining?
Design a user friendly form that could be used
in a real time TPS such as Airlines Reservation
System. What features make it user friendly?
Search the internet for Web forms that would
be used in a TPS. Why does it have a good
design principle?