Every report is a small factory
Raw sales lines go in at one end. A tidy total comes out at the other. In between, somebody cleans, joins and adds up.
A workflow draws that factory so everybody can see each step.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Workflow | the ordered steps that take data from start to finish |
| Input | the data a workflow starts with |
| Transformation | a step that changes, joins or summarises data |
| Output | the result a workflow produces |
| Component | one part of a workflow |
| Flowchart | a diagram of steps joined by arrows |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can pick the components of a workflow and draw it.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Three kinds of component
Every workflow has three kinds of component. Input is what comes in: files, tables, forms. Transformation is what changes it: clean, filter, join, add up. Output is what goes out: a report, a file, a chart.
Pick each component for a reason. Say what goes in and what comes out.
A workflow for the monthly sales report
| Component | Kind | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Till export | Input | Daily sales lines as a file of values |
| Standardise dates and names | Transformation | Makes formats the same |
| Join prices, add up by shop | Transformation | Turns units into pounds |
| Monthly report | Output | A table sent to the manager |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.