This is simple in theory but gives a lot of helpful information. All the analyst will do is collect samples of all current business documents. These include orders, invoices, financial records and any document in use on a day to day basis. These documents will show two different things. First of all what data they use and what will need to be stored by the new system. Secondly it will show the flow of data from start to finish. By following the trail of documents the analyst can get a very good idea of how the business process occurs.

A great advantage of document collecting is that documents can not lie. This means that the information found in them can be trusted. Of course it does not give a complete picture but it does help support whatever picture the analyst has already built up. It also helps the analyst build up a data dictionary. However it will not always be obvious of how, why or when a document gets created. This means that more information will be required.

Advantages

• Documents will be reliable and show most of the data stored in the system.
• Document trails help support the analysts’ picture of business processes.

Disadvantages

• Only gives a limited view of the system and will not say how the documents were created.
• Documents may contain sensitive information and there may be restrictions on seeing them.