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Enterprise Applications
Development Guidelines and Procedures

System Documentation

System Manual

Purpose: The purpose of this manual is to provide a document which has all the major components of the system in one location for quick reference. The backup analyst is expected to become familiar with a system via this manual. It is the first source of study for an IT staff member who has newly acquired responsibility for the system. It also provides management with an overview often required in meetings with users.

For each system developed at the Idaho State University Computer Center a systems manual will be produced with the contents as described below. This manual should be printable largely from the system book reference file Y:\adminsys-share\sysdoc\xy\xyBOOK, where xy is the two character system abbreviation or code. xyBOOK contains an index to all information necessary to recreate the Systems Manual. It contains the full names of all documentation pertaining to the system along with instructions for printing.

System Overview

The system overview must contain a general non-technical description of the system. This is often entitled xyINTRO. Also, a copy of xyBOOK should be in this section of the manual (See Appendix D).

Index to Commands, Jobs, Programs, and Screens

This section of the manual must contain a list of all menus, UDC's, or other means by which users may access application programs. The command files, jobs, programs, screens, etc., should be indexed in the Administrative Data Processing Master Schedule, printed as described in xyBOOK, and kept in this section of the manual. This listing will also serve as an index to the subsequent sections of the systems manual.

On-line Processing

A picture of each screen should be stored with program documentation to assist a new analyst to learn the system quickly. This should be stored in the manual of a small system. For a large system this section should contain a picture of each screen and a statement concerning the location of file folders containing additional program documentation. Each screen should contain a name to identify the file in which it is stored.

Processing Sequence

This should be printable from a file containing instructions clearly stating any processing sequence required. The file should be named xySEQ. This file is required for multiple jobs that are run in a set sequence, jobs run on specific dates, or jobs which must be run after specific events (such as Tenth Day cutoff, semester end, fiscal year end, etc.). A good example may be found in SYSDOC for payroll.

Data Dictionary

A copy of the data dictionary printed from QSHOW should be included. This dictionary should include file and dataset descriptions, element descriptions, value statements, and other defining characteristics.

Database Diagram and Schema listing

The diagram may be either hand sketched or printed from an on-line file. In early stages of development a hand sketch is encouraged to save time. Two copies of this and xyBOOK should be given to management. One of each is stored off-site. The schema listing may be an original source or a source produced from Adager.

Program Documentation

For very small systems programs may be maintained in the Systems Manual. For larger systems programs and related documentation should be stored in filing cabinets as outlined in the next section.