PAGE 13: ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING

• ELECTRONIC DATA PRODCESSING (EDP)

  • refers to the use of automated measures using simple, repetitive actions - and computer technology - to organise and store documents and sometimes to transfer them from paper to a digital format.
• Elements of EDP

  1. Hardware
  2. Software
  3. User program
  4. Procedure
  5. Personnels
• Hardware: All the physical parts which makes up a computer system called hardware i.e. all the devices or peripherals which performs the data processing operations.
• Hardware

  • all the physical parts which makes up a computer system i.e. all the devices or peripherals which performs the data processing operations.
• Software

  • consists of programs and routines whose purpose is to make the computer useable for the user.
  • normally supplied by computer manufacturers or software manufacturers.
• User Program

  • A program consists of related instructions to perform operations.
  • A data processing job may require a number of programs.
• Procedure

  The operation of data processing system requires procedure for use, in preparing data, for operating the computer and distributing the output after processing.
• Personnels

  • : E.D.P basically needs three kinds of skilled ______
• Three kinds of skilled personnels

  1. System Analyst
  2. Programmer
  3. Operator
• System Analyst

  • Studies information needs, data processing requirements
  • Designs data processing system, prepares specifications
• Programmer

  • Writes program based on specifications by System Analyst
• Operator

  • Operates computer system
• Advantages of EDP

  1. Speed
  2. Efficiency
  3. Economic
  4. Reduced Labor
  5. Automatic Operation
  6. Decision making capability
  7. compact storage
  8. Accuracy
• Speed - Information retrieval almost instant on internal network or Internet
• Efficiency - Summary documents, invoices, reports generated quickly
• Economic - Reduced data management costs over time
• Reduced Labor - Duplication of effort, errors in manual data entry reduced
• Automatic Operation - Computer executes sequence of data processing operations automatically
• Decision Making Capability - Computer performs certain decision instructions automatically
• Compact Storage - Large data storage in compact, retrievable form
• Accuracy - High-speed, high-accuracy processing by computers
• Disadvantages of EDP

  1. Power failure
  2. computer viruses
  3. hackers inherent problems
  4. Data input needs validation for accuracy
  5. completeness (GIGO concept)
  6. Accounting system not properly set up
  7. badly programmed software
  8. hardware
  9. personnel problems cause havoc
  10. Danger of computer fraud without proper control,
  11. security measures