INFOS SUMMARY Flashcards
what is data?
facts collected, recorded and stored in the system
what is information?
meaningful and organized data
uses for IT?
helps decision makers more effectively filter and condense info
when is info valuable?
when benefits exceed costs of gathering, storing, maintaining
what makes info useful?
- relevant
- reliable
- complete
- timely
- understandable
- verifiable
- accessible
what are business processes?
activities and tasks performed to achieve specific organisational goals
what is a business transaction?
an agreement between two entities to exchange g/s/other that can be measured in economic terms by the entity
what is transaction processing?
when transactional data is used to create FS
what is a basic bus process?
transactions betw the bus and third parties:
- revenue cycle (give g/s = get cash)
- expenditure cycle (get g/s = give cash)
what is an AIS?
a system that collects, records, stores and processes data to produce info for decision makers
components of an AIS?
- people who use it
- processes
- technology
- controls to safeguard info
how does an AIS add value to an org?
- improving quality and reduce service costs
- improves efficiency
- improves decision making
what is a strategy?
the overall goal the org hopes to acheive
what does a value chain do?
it links together diff activities within an org that provide value to the customer
primary value chain activities?
provide direct value to the customer
value chain support activities?
enable primary activities to be efficient and effective
what is a data processing cycle?
demonstrates the operations performed on data to make the info meaningful for decisions
what triggers data processing?
a business activity
four components of data processing cycle
storage
^
input > processing > info output
what forms part of (1) data input?
data collection/preparation
what forms part of (2) data processing?
- editing
- correction
- manipulation
what data must be collected when a bus activity is initiated?
- activity type
- resources affected by the activity
- people who took part in it
what is data collection?
process which ensures that data are both defined and accurate so that decisions can be valid
what is data preparation?
manipulation of data into a form more suitable for analysis
what happens during data input?
verified data is conv into machine-readable form so that it can be processed. time consuming and requires speed and accuracy.
what is a turnaround document?
(source document)
takes output to an external party who returns the output back to the company as an input (after adding things)
what is a transaction processing system?
IS that processes data generated from bus transactions
what are the objectives of a TPS?
- carries out day-to-day transactions
- supplies necessary info to orgs that enables business functions
- supplies data to other IS
what is a transaction?
a business event that modifies/generates data stored in an IS
TPS characteristics?
- rapid processing (info available when needed speedily)
- processing reliability
- controlled access
- must be efficient and meet ACID requirements
what are the ACID requirements?
Atomicity (complete)
Consistency (valid according to rules)
Isolation
Durability (can’t be undone)
what is the design of a TPS based on?
- data content and format
- execution details of transactions
- rules to be enforced
what are TPSs capable of?
- enforcing rules and work procedures
- detecting errors/missing data
- automating certain dec-mak functions
what are the four types of data processing?
C reating new records
R eading existing data
U pdating previous records / data
D eleting data
methods of data processing?
batch processing
online real-time processing
online batch processing
adv of batch processing?
- cheaper
- can manage large repeated work easily
- sharing of batch system for multiple users
disadv of batch processing?
- time delays (you can’t do anything while it’s processing)
- difficult to debug
how does real-time processing work?
comp sys processes data immediately after capture and provides updated info to users on a timely basis
adv of real-time processing?
- accessible
- cost savings
- service improves dramatically
disadv of real-time processing?
- servers must always be online (expensive bc of resources and processing time)
what is data storage?
an important stage in the cycle where data are held for future usage. allows for quicker access to processed info so that it can be passed on to the next stage.
what is CBS?
computer-based storage
what are attributes (CBS)?
facts/properties about an entity
what are data values (CBS)?
actual value stored in a field, describing a particular attribute of an entity
what are records (CBS)?
a group of fields whose data values describe entity attributes
what are fields (CBS)?
this is where attributes of an entity are stored
what is the info output stage?
the stage where processed info is transmitted to the user (can be viewed online) to be interpreted and given meaning to guide decisons
what do IS produce output for?
- planning
- recording/processing transactions
- monitoring performance
- controlling
- dec-mak
what is a file?
a group of media records of an entity
what is a masterfile?
what stores all accumulated info about an org
what does the transaction file consist of?
all bus transactions that occurred during a specific time
what does an enterprise resource planning system do?
integrates activities from the entire org (revenue, exp, production)
adv of ERPSs?
(help MONITOR, CONTROL, AUTOMATE)
- greater monitoring capabilities for mgmt
- improved access of control of data
- increases productivity thru automation
disadv of ERPSs?
- costly
- complex
- lots of time to implement
what are some threats to an AIS?
- natural/political disasters
- software errors/malfunctions of equ
- un/intentional acts
what is fraud?
any means a person uses to gain an unfair advantage over another
- false statement, material facts which induces victim to act, intends to deceive
what are the two main categories of fraud?
- misappropriation of assets (theft of comp assets)
- fraudulent financial reporting
elements of misappropriation of assets?
- an org’s assets taken through trickery/deceit not force
- the act of asset theft, concealment and conversion must be present
when can misappropriation of assets occur?
- before they are recorded in the books (skimming)
- while A are being held by the org (larcency)
- during purchasing process
examples of misappropriation of assets?
skimming, larcency, misuse of equ/inv/cash
what are the three conditions for fraud?
- pressure
- opportunity
- rationalization
how to prevent and detect fraud?
- make it less likely to occur
- make it harder to commit
- improve detection
- reduce fraud losses
how to make fraud less likely to occur?
- create a culture of integrity
- develop and communicate the security policy
- assign authority for bus obj and hold them accountable for achieving those goals
how to make fraud difficult to commit?
- strong int controls
- require independent checks
- restrict access
- use encryption / sys authentification
how to improve fraud detection?
- ext/int audits
- audit trails of sys transactions
- install fraud detection software
how to reduce fraud losses?
- insurance
- monitor sys activity
- store backup copies of data files in secure location
why do many orgs experience major control failure?
- increased no. of IS = more people accessing info
- decentralized networks are harder to control than cen
- wide area networks give cust and supp access to each other’s sys and data
what are some common business exposures?
- erroneous bookkeeping
- fraud, cybercrime
- excessive costs
- loss of resources