ACC 321 Exam 1 Flashcards
a set of detailed methods, procedures, and routines that carry out specific activities, perform a duty, achieve goals or objectives, or solve one or more problems
system
occurs when a subsystem’s goals are inconsistent with the goals of another subsystem or with the system as a whole
Goal Conflict
occurs when a subsystem achieves its goals while contributing to the organization’s overall goal
Goal Congruence
facts that are collected, recorded, stored, and processed by an information system
data
data that have been organized and processed to provide meaning and context that can improve the decision-making process
Information
format that can be read and processed by a computer
Machine readable
occurs when those limits are passed, resulting in a decline in decision-making quality and an increase in the cost of providing that information
Information overload
The computers and other electronic devices used to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data
Information technology ( IT )
the benefit produced by the information minus the cost of producing it.
value of information
is the combination of the people and the technologies in an organization that collect, record, store, and process data to produce the information needed to make informed decisions
information system
a set of related, coordinated, and structured activities and tasks that are performed by a person, a computer, or a machine and that help accomplish a specific organizational goal
business process
an agreement between two entities to exchange goods or services or any other event that can be measured in economic terms.
transaction
Process of capturing transaction data, processing it, storing it for later use, and producing information output, such as a managerial report or a financial statement.
transaction processing
Transactions that happen a great many times, such as giving up cash to get to get inventory from a supplier and giving employees a paycheck in exchange for their labor
give-get exchange
where goods and services are sold for cash or a future promise to receive cash
revenue cycle
where companies purchase inventory for resale or raw materials to use in producing products in exchange for cash or a future promise to pay cash
expenditure cycle
where raw materials are transformed into finished goods
production cycle or conversion cycle
where employees are hired, trained, compensated, evaluated, promoted, and terminated
human resources/payroll cycle
where companies sell shares in the company to investors and borrow money, and where investors are paid dividends and interest is paid on loans
financing cycle
A system that collects, records, stores, and processes data to produce information for decision makers. It includes people, procedures and instructions, data, software, information technology infrastructure, and internal controls and security measures
Accounting Information System (AIS)
the systematic and comprehensive recording of an organization’s financial transactions
accounting
The use of computer systems to simulate human intelligence processes such as learning, reasoning, and self-improvement
Artificial intelligence
the use of software and algorithms to discover, describe, interpret, communicate, and apply meaningful patterns in data to improve business performance
data analytics
Interactive real-time display of key indicators of operating performance; display of important data points, metrics, and key performance indicators in easily understood data visualizations such as line or bar charts, tables, or gauges.
data dashboard
An essential part of most analytic tools
data dashboard
Individual digital records, called blocks, linked together using cryptography in a single list, called a chain. The blockchain isn’t stored in a single location. Instead, it is a distributed ledger of hashed documents that functions as a decentralized database. Each computer in the distributed peer-to-peer network maintains a copy of the ledger to prevent a single point of failure.
Blockchain
Running multiple systems simultaneously on one physical computer.
Virtualization
Using a browser to remotely access software, data storage, hardware, and applications.
Cloud computing
Embedding sensors in devices so they can connect to the Internet.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Value chain activities that produce, market, and deliver products and services to customers and provide postdelivery service and support.
Primary activities
Value chain activities such as firm infrastructure, technology, purchasing, and human resources that enable primary activities to be performed efficiently and effectively.
Support activities
An extended system that includes an organization’s value chain as well as its suppliers, distributors, and customers.
Supply chain
Information-processing operations involved in updating the general ledger and preparing reports for both management and external parties.
General ledger and reporting system
General ledger and reporting system
Value chain
A path that allows a transaction to be traced through a data processing system from point of origin to output or backwards from output to point of origin. It is used to check the accuracy and validity of ledger postings and to trace changes in general ledger accounts from their beginning balance to their ending balance.
Audit trail
Anything about which an organization wants to collect and store information. Examples include an employee, an inventory item, and a customer.
Entity
The properties, identifying numbers, and characteristics of interest of an entity stored in a database. Examples are employee number, pay rate, name, and address.
Attributes
The portion of a data record where the data value for a particular attribute is stored. For example, in a spreadsheet, each row might represent a customer and each column an attribute of the customer. Each cell in a spreadsheet is a field.
Fields
A set of fields whose data values describe specific attributes of an entity, such as all payroll data relating to a single employee. An example is a row in a spreadsheet.
record
The actual value stored in a field. It describes a particular attribute of an entity. For example, the customer name field would contain “ZYX Company” if that company were a customer.
Data value
A structured interface that allows one system to interact with another system offering a data service to other systems. The interface is often operationalized in JSON or XML.
Application Programming Interfaces (API)
(1) The systematic assignment of numbers or letters to items to classify and organize them. (2) Writing program instructions that direct a computer to perform specific data processing tasks.
Coding
Items are numbered consecutively so that gaps in the sequence code indicate missing items that should be investigated. Examples include prenumbered checks, invoices, and purchase orders.
Sequence codes
Blocks of numbers reserved for specific categories of data, thereby helping to organize the data. An example is a chart of accounts.
Block code
Accumulating transaction records into groups or batches for processing at a regular interval such as daily or weekly. The records are usually sorted into some sequence (such as numerically or alphabetically) before processing.
Batch processing
The computer system processes data immediately after capture and provides updated information to users on a timely basis.
Real-time processing
A title given to a general ledger account that summarizes the total amounts recorded in a subsidiary ledger. For example, the accounts receivable control account in the general ledger represents the total amount owed by all customers. The balances in the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger indicate the amount owed by each specific customer.
Control Account
A ledger that contains summary-level data for every asset, liability, equity, revenue, and expense account of the organization.
General ledger
A ledger used to record detailed data for a general ledger account with many individual subaccounts, such as accounts receivable, inventory, and accounts payable.
Subsidiary ledger
A listing of all the numbers assigned to balance sheet and income statement accounts. The account numbers allow transaction data to be coded, classified, and entered into the proper accounts. They also facilitate financial statement and report preparation.
Chart of accounts
The four operations (data input, data storage, data processing, and information output) performed on data to generate meaningful and relevant information.
Data processing cycle
A set of logically related records, such as the payroll records of all employees.
file
A permanent file of records that stores cumulative data about an organization. As transactions take place, individual records within a master file are updated to keep them current.
Master file
A file that contains the individual business transactions that occur during a specific fiscal period. Is conceptually similar to a journal in a manual AIS.
Transaction file
A set of interrelated, centrally controlled data files stored with as little data redundancy as possible. A database consolidates records previously stored in separate files into a common pool and serves a variety of users and data processing applications.
Database
Records of transaction or other company data. Examples include checks, invoices, receiving reports, and purchase requisitions.
Documents
System output organized in a meaningful fashion used by employees to control operational activities, by managers to make decisions and design strategies, and by investors and creditors to understand a company’s business activities.
Reports
A request for the database to provide the information needed to deal with a problem or answer a question. The information is retrieved, displayed or printed, and/or analyzed as requested.
Queries
Systems that integrate all aspects of an organization’s activities—such as accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, manufacturing, inventory management—into one system. Is modularized; companies can purchase the individual modules that meet their specific needs. Facilitates information flow among the company’s various business functions and manages communications with outside stakeholders.
Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP)
Two or more subgroups of digits used to code an item. A group code is often used in conjunction with a block code.
Group codes
A journal used to record infrequent or nonroutine transactions, such as loan payments and end-of-period adjusting and closing entries.
General journal
A journal used to record a large number of repetitive transactions such as credit sales, cash receipts, purchases, and cash disbursements.
Specialized journal
Letters and numbers interspersed to identify an item. The mnemonic code is derived from the description of the item and is usually easy to memorize. For example, Dry300W could represent a dryer (Dry), model number 300, that is white (W).
Mnemonic coding
Documents used to capture transaction data at its source – when the transaction takes place. Examples include sales orders, purchase orders, and employee time cards.
Source documents
The collection of transaction data in machine-readable form at the time and place of origin. Examples are point-of-sale terminals and RFID scanners.
Source data automation
Records of company data sent to an external party and then returned to the system as input. Turnaround documents are in machine-readable form to facilitate their subsequent processing as input records. An example is a utility bill.
Turnaround documents
Narratives, flowcharts, diagrams, and other written materials that explain how a system works.
Documentation
Written, step-by-step explanation of system components and how they interact.
Narrative description
A visual way to describe the different steps or activities in a business process, providing a reader with an easily understood pictorial view of what takes place in a business process.
Business process diagram (BPD)
An analytical technique that uses a standard set of symbols to describe pictorially some aspect of an IS in a clear, concise, and logical manner; used to record how business processes are performed and how documents flow through an organization.
Flowchart
Illustrate the flow of documents and data among areas of responsibility within an organization, from cradle to grave; shows where each document originates, its distribution, its purposes, and its ultimate disposition.
Document flowcharts
Used to describe, analyze, and evaluate internal controls, including identifying system strengths, weaknesses, and inefficiencies.
Internal control flowchart
Depicts the relationships among system input, processing, storage, and output.
System flowchart
Illustrates the sequence of logical operations performed by a computer in executing a program; describes the specific logic to perform a process shown on a system flowchart.
Program flowchart
A graphical description of the flow of data within an organization, including data sources/destinations, data flows, transformation processes, and data storage.
Data flow diagram (DFD)
The entity that produces or sends the data entered into a system.
Data source
The entity that receives data produced by a system
Data destination
The movement of data among processes, stores, sources, and destinations.
Data flow
Actions that transform data into other data or information.
Processes
The place or medium where system data is stored.
Data store
Highest-level DFD; a summary-level view of a system, showing the data processing system, its input(s) and output(s), and their sources and destinations.
Context diagram
a file used in process mining that records (1) a description of an event that occurred, (2) a timestamp of when the event occurred, and (3) a unique identifier that links related types of events.
event log
a technique to discover, monitor, and improve processes that are actually occurring in a business by visualizing the information contained in an event log.
process mining
a sequence of activities that a transaction follows in a process mining visualization
process variant
he program that manages and controls the data and the interfaces between the data and the application programs that use the data stored in the database.
Database management system (DBMS)
The database, the DBMS, and the application programs that access the database through the DBMS.
Database system
The person responsible for coordinating, controlling, and managing the database.
Database administrator (DBA)
Database containing detailed current transaction data, usually in third normal form. Focuses on throughput, speed, availability, concurrency, and recoverability. Often used concurrently by hundreds of users.
Online transaction processing database (OLTP)
Very large databases containing detailed and summarized data for a number of years used for analysis rather than transaction processing.
Data warehouse
Analyzing large amounts of data for strategic decision making. There are two main techniques: online analytical processing (OLAP) and data mining.
Business intelligence
Using queries to investigate hypothesized relationships among data; one of two main techniques used in business intelligence.
Online analytical processing
Document that shows the items stored in a file, including the order and length of the data fields and the type of data stored.
Record layout
How people conceptually organize, view, and understand the relationships among data items. Contrast with physical view.
Logical view
The way data are physically arranged and stored in the computer system. Contrast with logical view.
Physical view
(1) A description of the data elements in a database, the relationships among them, and the logical model used to organize and describe the data. (2) An XBRL file that defines every element that appears in a specific instance document.
Schema
An individual user’s view of portions of a database; also called a subschema. Contrast with conceptual-level schema and internal-level schema
External-level schema
A subset of the schema; the way the user defines the data and the data relationships.
Subschema
The organization-wide view of the entire database that lists all data elements and the relationships between them. Contrast with external-level schema and internal level schema.
Conceptual-level schema
A low-level view of the entire database describing how the data are actually stored and accessed; it includes information about record layouts, definitions, addresses, and indexes. Contrast with external-level schema and conceptual-level schema
Internal-level schema
Permissions granted to create, read, update, and delete data, database records, or data files.
Access rights
Information about the structure of the database, including a description of each data element.
Data dictionary
DBMS language that builds the data dictionary, creates the database, describes logical views, and specifies record or field security constraints.
Data definition language (DDL)
Standardized commercial programming language designed for managing data in relational database systems. Even though it is standardized, variations exist among different database systems.
Structured query language (SQL)
DBMS language that changes database content, including data element creations, updates, insertions, and deletions.
Data manipulation language (DML)
High-level, English-like, DBMS language that contains powerful, easy-to-use commands that enable users to retrieve, sort, order, and display data.
Data query language (DQL)
DBMS language that simplifies report creation; users specify which data elements they want to print, and the elements are printed in the user-specified format.
Report writer
An abstract representation of database contents.
data model
A two-dimensional table representation of data; each row represents a unique entity (record) and each column is a field where record attributes are stored. Foreign keys can contain null values; when customers pay cash, Customer # in the sales table can be blank.
Relational data model
A row in a table that contains data about a specific item in a database table. For example, each row in the inventory table contains data (i.e., name description, price) about a particular inventory item.
tuple
Database attribute, or combination of attributes, that uniquely identifies each row in a table; used to distinguish, order, and reference records in a database.
Primary key
An attribute in a table that is also a primary key in another table; used to link the two tables.
Foreign key
Improper database organization where a nonprimary key item is stored multiple times; updating the item in one location and not the others causes data inconsistencies.
Update anomaly
Improper database organization that results in the inability to add records to a database.
Insert anomaly
Improper organization of a database that results in the loss of all information about an entity when a row is deleted. If customer addresses are stored in the sales table, then deleting the row where the only sale to a customer is stored results in the loss of all information for that customer. The solution is to have a sales table and a customer table and link the two tables.
Delete anomaly
A database built using the relational data model.
Relational database
A nonnull primary key ensures that every row in a table represents something and that it can be identified.
Entity integrity rule
Foreign keys which link rows in one table to rows in another table must have values that correspond to the value of a primary key in another table.
Referential integrity rule
Following relational database creation rules to design a relational database that is free from delete, insert, and update anomalies.
normalization
Using knowledge of business processes and information needs to create a diagram that shows what to include in a fully normalized database (in 3NF).
Semantic data modeling
Permissions granted to create, read, update, and delete data, database records, or data files.
Access rights
A set of interrelated, centrally controlled data files stored with as little data redundancy as possible.
Database
The program that manages and controls the data and the interfaces between the data and the application programs that use the data stored in the database.
Database management system (DBMS)
The database, the DBMS, and the application programs that access the database through the DBMS. The database
Database system
The person responsible for coordinating, controlling, and managing the database.
Database administrator (DBA)
Database containing detailed current transaction data, usually in third normal form. Focuses on throughput, speed, availability, concurrency, and recoverability. Often used concurrently by hundreds of users.
Online transaction processing database (OLTP)
Very large databases containing detailed and summarized data for a number of years used for analysis rather than transaction processing.
Data warehouse
Analyzing large amounts of data for strategic decision making. There are two main business intelligence techniques: online analytical processing (OLAP) and data mining.
Business intelligence
Using queries to investigate hypothesized relationships among data; one of two main techniques used in business intelligence.
Online analytical processing
Using sophisticated statistical analysis to “discover” unhypothesized relationships in the data.
Data mining
Document that shows the items stored in a file, including the order and length of the data fields and the type of data stored.
Record layout
How people conceptually organize, view, and understand the relationships among data items.
Logical view
The way data are physically arranged and stored in the computer system.
Physical view
(1) A description of the data elements in a database, the relationships among them, and the logical model used to organize and describe the data. (2) An XBRL file that defines every element that appears in a specific instance document.
Schema
An individual user’s view of portions of a database; also called a subschema.
External-level schema
A subset of the schema; the way the user defines the data and the data relationships.
Subschema
The organization-wide view of the entire database that lists all data elements and the relationships between them.
Conceptual-level schema
A low-level view of the entire database describing how the data are actually stored and accessed; it includes information about record layouts, definitions, addresses, and indexes.
Internal-level schema
Permissions granted to create, read, update, and delete data, database records, or data files.
Access rights
Information about the structure of the database, including a description of each data element.
Data dictionary
DBMS language that builds the data dictionary, creates the database, describes logical views, and specifies record or field security constraints.
Data definition language (DDL)
Standardized commercial programming language designed for managing data in relational database systems. Even though it is standardized, variations exist among different database systems.
Structured query language (SQL)
DBMS language that changes database content, including data element creations, updates, insertions, and deletions.
Data manipulation language (DML)
High-level, English-like, DBMS language that contains powerful, easy-to-use commands that enable users to retrieve, sort, order, and display data.
Data query language (DQL)
DBMS language that simplifies report creation; users specify which data elements they want to print, and the elements are printed in the user-specified format.
Report writer
An abstract representation of database contents.
Data model
A two-dimensional table representation of data; each row represents a unique entity (record) and each column is a field where record attributes are stored. Foreign keys can contain null values; when customers pay cash, Customer # in the sales table can be blank.
Relational data model
A row in a table that contains data about a specific item in a database table. For example, each row in the inventory table contains data (i.e., name description, price) about a particular inventory item.
Tuple
Database attribute, or combination of attributes, that uniquely identifies each row in a table; used to distinguish, order, and reference records in a database.
Primary key
An attribute in a table that is also a primary key in another table; used to link the two tables.
Foreign key
Improper database organization where a nonprimary key item is stored multiple times; updating the item in one location and not the others causes data inconsistencies.
Update anomaly
Improper database organization that results in the inability to add records to a database.
Insert anomaly
Improper organization of a database that results in the loss of all information about an entity when a row is deleted. If customer addresses are stored in the sales table, then deleting the row where the only sale to a customer is stored results in the loss of all information for that customer. The solution is to have a sales table and a customer table and link the two tables.
Delete anomaly
A database built using the relational data model.
Relational database
A nonnull primary key ensures that every row in a table represents something and that it can be identified.
Entity integrity rule
Foreign keys which link rows in one table to rows in another table must have values that correspond to the value of a primary key in another table.
Referential integrity rule
Following relational database creation rules to design a relational database that is free from delete, insert, and update anomalies.
Normalization
Using knowledge of business processes and information needs to create a diagram that shows what to include in a fully normalized database (in 3NF).
Semantic data modeling
