Topics

Information flows exchange business objects between applications. For each information flow, one application is considered the source of the information flow and the other application is considered the target of the information flow. The information flows transfer the business object that applications either create, read, update, or delete (CRUD).

The number of information flows that an application is associated with helps the application architect determine the complexity of the application, potential redundancies among applications, and the effort involved in migrating or replacing an application.

Add information flows to the repository

Users with the user profiles Portfolio Manager, and Portfolio Admin can add and edit information flows in Alfabet. Click for an overview of permission concepts.

Go to Information Architecture > Information Flows to open the data workbench for information flow.

The syntax of the information flow name is: <Source Application> > <Target Application>:

  • Click New > Information Flow.
  • Click the Navigate  Navigate button next to an information flow to open its content area. Specify the information flow's attributes as well as the relationships that the information flow has to other assets in the repository.

Try to capture as much information as possible about the information flow because complete data considerably improves the results of business questions and other analytics.

Specify the information flow's basic data

Once an information flow is in the repository, you can define more details about the information flow in the Information Flows data workbench . Or you can select an individual information flow in the data workbench and navigate to its content area and specify and analyze the information flow in detail. All mandatory fields must be defined to create the information flow and save it.

Per default, the data workbench displays only a set of basic attributes. You can add more columns to capture other attributes directly in the data workbench via the Structure column. Click to learn about how to use data workbenches.

Specify the information flow's basic data.

  • Source Application: (Mandatory) Select the application that is the source of the information flow. This is the application that the information is coming from. The syntax of the information flow name is: <Source Application> > <Target Application>.
  • Target Application: (Mandatory) Select the application that is the target of the information flow. This is the application that the information is going to.
  • Short Name: Define a short abbreviated name to display on the information flow in diagrams and business graphics.
  • Version: Enter the version number. The version number should be unique.
  • Status: This is an approval status and typically indicates the level of quality of the information about the information flow. The release status determines whether an information flow can or cannot be deleted. Possible values are:
    • Draft: The information flow has only mandatory data defined.
    • Under Review: The information flow is documented and being reviewed. An information flow with this release status cannot be deleted.
    • Approved: The information flow has been approved by the responsible stakeholders. An information flow cannot be deleted when it has an approved release status. An information flow with this release status cannot be deleted.
    • Data imported: The data regarding this information flow has been imported from an external system. Additional changes may be required to improve the data quality. An information flow with this release status can be deleted.
    • Trash: The information flow is no longer valid and can be deleted.
  • From (Source) and To (Target) (Optional): You can change the source or target of the information flow to a (local) component that has been defined for the source or target application. The component name will be displayed in parenthesis behind the application in the information flow name.
  • Description: Enter a meaningful description that will clarify the purpose of the information flow.
  • Authorized Access: As the creator of the information flow, you are automatically defined as the authorized user per default. The authorized user of the information flow can be changed. You can also define any authorized user group that should have Read/Write access permissions to the information flow.

Specify the information flow's lifecycle.

  • Start Date and End Date: The start and end date captures the period when the information flow is actively running and can be used in the company. This is also when the Object State attribute should be specified as Active. Click the calendar icon to select the date or enter the date in the date format Month/Day/Year. For example: 4/30/2023
  • Object State: The object state describes the use of the information flow in the real word. The information flow's object state may only be defined as active if its source and target applications also have an active object state.The information flow must have a retired object state if either the source or target application has a retired state. Possible values are:
    • Plan: The information flow is proposed to be used and still in the stages of planning and building.
    • Active: The information flow is currently and used now. The active period begins with the information flow's start date and ends with the end date.
    • Retired: The information flow is no longer used

Specify the information flow's connection details. Go to the Connection Data attribute box and specify the connection type , connection method , connection frequency , and connection data format for the information flow. In the Middleware field, select an application or component that is the middleware that realizes the information exchange between the source and target application.

Specify the business objects that the information flow transfers

The Basic Data Management use case must be enabled for your company to capture data usage on business objects. Learn more about the data management use cases available to capture your information architecture.

An application can be a source of an outgoing information flow and the target of an incoming information flow. The information flow transfers the business objects that application operates on. The application can create, read, update, delete (CRUD), or process the business object. An application's information flows may also use the business object.

In the information flow's content area, go to Overview > Connection Data. In the Business Objects field, specify the business objects that are transferred by the information flow.

Go to Overview > Transferred Business Objects to add and further define the business objects that the information flow transfers.

Classify the data protection requirements for each business object in the Data Classification field. Possible options are: Confidential - Non-Personal Data, Confidential - Personal Data, Restricted, Unrestricted, and Unknown

Specify how the source or target application uses the business object. Double-click a business object to navigate to its content area. Go to Application Context > CRUD Matrix. For each business object, select Yes or No in the following columns to describe how the application uses the business object.

  • Create: Select if the business object can be created by the application.
  • Read: Select if the business object can be read by the application.
  • Update: Select if the business object can be updated by the application.
  • Delete: Select if the business object can be deleted by the application.
  • Usage Comment: Provide additional information about the use of the business object by the application.

Specify the business data that the information flow transfers

The Advanced Data Management use case must be enabled for your company to capture data usage on business data. Learn more about the data management use cases available to capture your information architecture.

An application can be a source of an outgoing information flow and the target of an incoming information flow. The information flow transfers the business data that application operates on. The application can create, read, update, delete (CRUD), or process the business data. An application's information flows may also use the business data.

In the information flow's content area, go to Overview > Connection Data. In the Business Data field, specify the business data that are transferred by the information flow.

Go to Overview > Transferred Business Data to add and further define the business data that the information flow transfers.

Classify the data protection requirements for each business data in the Data Classification field. Possible options are: Confidential - Non-Personal Data, Confidential - Personal Data, Restricted, Unrestricted, and Unknown

Specify how the source or target application uses the business data. Double-click a business data to navigate to its content area. Go to Application Context > CRUD Matrix. For each business data, select Yes or No in the following columns to describe how the application uses the business data.

  • Create: Select if the business data can be created by the application.
  • Read: Select if the business data can be read by the application.
  • Update: Select if the business data can be updated by the application.
  • Delete: Select if the business data can be deleted by the application.
  • Usage Comment: Provide additional information about the use of the business data by the application.

Which business questions focus on information flows?

The following business questions are relevant for the analysis of information flows: