Using a Procedure Hierarchy

Analyzing Current Systems › Analyzing Current System Procedures › Using a Procedure Hierarchy

Using a Procedure Hierarchy

The Procedure Hierarchy is a type of indented list in which you document the hierarchy of current procedures, as observed or described in documentation.

The example hierarchy in the following illustration lists the procedures performed in part of a current purchasing system.

Procedure Hierarchy
PURCHASING SYSTEM DEMAND ASSESSMENT CALCULATE SALES REQUIREMENT DETERMINE INVENTORY LEVEL DETERMINE ECONOMIC ORDER QUANTITY PLACE PURCHASE ORDER SELECT PRODUCT SELECT SUPPLIER REGISTER PURCHASE ORDER GOODS RECEIPT CHECK IN DELIVERY RETURN DELIVERY ERRORS STORE GOODS CALCULATE NEW INVENTORY PURCHASES PAYMENT REGISTER SUPPLIER INVOICE PAY SUPPLIER CLOSE PURCHASE ORDER

Procedure Hierarchy

Guidelines for procedure hierarchies:

List one procedure per line.
Use equal indentation for procedures of the same rank.
List activities of interest to the business, therefore omitting batch control and list procedures, and online menus.
List job steps within a batch procedure.
List transactions within an online (sub) system based on the menu.
Follow the sequence of procedure manuals and other documentation.
Use the same names as current documentation. If these names are not meaningful, use names of significance to the business to help comparison with the business model and record system identifiers in the descriptions. If a name is duplicated, qualify each occurrence to indicate the current system context.