PURPOSE OF THESE FACTS :-
These FACTS define business requirements which the Database must support.
They form the basis for agreement between the User and the Database Designer and are
written in a form of structured English which is clear and unambiguous.
The Draft FACTS have been defined and are detailed here ...
A. The Area being Modelled is :-
Distribution Channels for Products
from user ...
The Entities are
1.Company - represents the company which makes the product
2.Product - represents the product
3.Channel - represents the distibutor, stockist etc....
4.Territory - represents the area or location
the product starts moving from the company through various channels and gets to the
retailer, which is the last item in the chain.
The need is that the channel should be flexible i.e, any channel can come in between the
existing channels and even an existing channel can be moved/deleted from the existing system.
So it should not affect the system.
Territory represents the area.
So channels (distribution centers) will be grouped based on the territory.
the first requirement is to how to generalize the channel and design a flexible design.
B. The Things of Interest, ('THINGS'), include :-
B.1 Channel
B.2 Company
B.3 Product
B.4 Territory
C. These THINGS_OF_INTEREST are Related as follows :-
***
the product starts moving from the company through various channels and gets to the
retailer, which is the last item in the chain.
The need is that the channel should be flexible i.e, any channel can come in between the
existing channels and even an existing channel can be moved/deleted from the existing system.
***
C.1 The COMPANY produces a PRODUCT.
C.2 A PRODUCT goes through one or more CHANNELS until it reaches a RETAILER.
D. Other Characteristics of these THINGS_OF_INTEREST include
D.1 A PRODUCT has a STATUS.
E. Sample Data includes :-
To be determined
F. Typical Enquiries include :-
F.1 To be determined.
G. DESIGN NOTE :
Barry Williams
Principal Consultant
Database Answers
1st. Febuary 2001
