Creating a data dictionary

In this step, you create a dictionary of names for the data elements that you uncovered while identifying backend system transactions and journal entries in the previous step. The data dictionary ensures that each data element has a common identity in all parts of the system, whether it is being sent to the backend system, stored in the journal, or printed. Although the dictionary may seem trivial for the sample application, it is very important in a real project. The data dictionary ensures that the same concepts are used in the Java(TM) Client Sample Application processes running on the first and second tiers, and in the backend system application that runs the main business logic.

The following is the data dictionary for the Java Client Sample Application (the bulleted items represent elements of a data structure). The internal name for context is used on the application presentation server or on the client; the internal name for CHA is used on the application logic server layer.

Table 1. Data dictionary
Data element description Internal name for context Internal name for WSIF Action Internal name for CHA
Date Date Date Date
Account number AccountNumber AccountNumber AccountNumber
Account balance AccountBalance AccountBalance AccountBalance
Maximum amount MaxAmount MaxAmount MaxAmount
Customer identifier CustomerId CustomerId CustomerId
Customer name CustomerName CustomerName CustomerName
Transaction identifier TrxId TrxId TrxId
Operation amount Amount Amount Amount
Branch identifier BranchId BranchId BranchId
Account list
  • Account Number
  • Type
  • Name
  • Balance
AccountListData
  • AccountNumber
  • Type
  • Name
  • Balance
AaccountListData
  • AccountNumber
  • Type
  • Name
  • Balance
AAccountListData
  • AccountNumber
  • Type
  • Name
  • Balance
Statement details list
  • Date
  • Operation description
  • Amount
  • Balance
accountStatementDetails
  • OpnDate
  • OpnDescription
  • OpnAmount
  • OpnBalance
AccountStatementDetails
  • OpnDate
  • OpnDescription
  • OpnAmount
  • OpnBalance
AccountStatementDetails
  • OpnDate
  • OpnDescription
  • OpnAmount
  • OpnBalance
Terminal identifier TID TID TID
Logged -on user identifier UserId UserId UserId
backend system transaction reply code TrxReplyCode TrxReplyCode TrxReplyCode
backend system transaction error message TrxErrorMessage TrxErrorMessage TrxErrorMessage
Data sent to backend system HostBuff HostBuff HostBuff