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Order processing

The sale of an item in a shop, the hire of a video, the delivery of new stock to a supermarket are all examples of transactions. 

A file of these transactions (transaction file) is usually stored and used to update a master file of data.

Example Application : Faye's Catalogue

Faye's Catalogue receives an order from Mrs Thompson :

To Faye's Catalogue
From:
Mrs Thompson
3, Elm Street
Bridgend
Account No. 15244 Date : 12 03 98
Please supply the goods shown below:
Description Stock No. Quantity
Grey Skirt S32199 1
Red Sweater S48105 2
White Shirt S62177 2

When this order is received, it is placed on an Order File.

A record from the Order File would look like :

Account
No.		 Date Order
No.		 Stock
No.		 Qu. Stock
No.		 Qu. Stock
No.		 Qu. EOR
15244 120398 1812 S32199 1 S48105 2 S62177 2 *

EOR is an end of record marker.

To produce an Invoice, two other files are needed :

The Customer File :

Account
No.		 Customer
Name		 Address Credit
Limit		 Amount
Owed		 Discount
Level
15244 Mrs Thompson 3, Elm Street Bridgend 1000 0 5

The Stock File :

Stock
No.		 Product
Name		 Price No in
Stock
S32199 Grey Skirt 12.99 14

Faye's Catalogue then produces this invoice and sends it together with the goods ordered to Mrs Thompson....

Faye's Catalogue INVOICE
12, Book Road, Fayeville, Kent
Please return this invoice with your payment.
Date Account No. Order No.
15/03/98 15244 1812
Description Stock No. Quantity Price Charge
Grey Skirt S32199 1 £12.99 £12.99
Red Sweater S48105 2 £24.99 £49.98
White Shirt S62177 2 £18.00 £36.00
Total Charge £98.97
Less 5% Discount £94.02

Mrs Thompson, when she receives the goods, will return the invoice and the payment to Faye's Catalogue.

When the payment is received it is recorded on the Payment Details File (after verification and validation).

Order No. Amount Received
1812 £94.02

The final stage is to use the Payment Details File to update the Customer File. (The 'Amount Owed' field is changed.