System-Level Documentation: Order Entry Screen




System-Level Documentation: Order Entry Screen


Overview

The Order Entry Screen is a core component of the order management system, allowing users to create and manage customer orders efficiently. This screen captures critical details, such as order information, customer data, and product details, ensuring accurate order processing and fulfillment.


This document outlines the screen’s structure, individual fields, and the COBOL code required to display and support its functionality. It is tailored for developers, while remaining accessible to IT executives and decision-makers.


Screen Layout

Here’s the design as displayed in a typical 3270 terminal emulator:


Order Entry Screen
--------------------------- 
Order ID : 98765
Customer ID : 54321
Order Date : 11/17/2024
Product Code : PROD123
Quantity : 10
Unit Price : $25.00
Total Price : $250.00
Shipping Date : 11/20/2024
---------------------------


Key Features:

  • Dynamic Data Fields: Displays live data for customer orders retrieved from the database.

  • User Inputs: Fields such as Quantity and Shipping Date are editable, allowing users to customize orders.

  • Auto-Calculated Fields: Total Price is automatically computed based on Quantity and Unit Price.


Field Descriptions

Each field corresponds to a database column or a calculated value in the COBOL program. Here’s a breakdown:


Field Name

Description

Editable

Data Type

Order ID

Unique identifier for the order.

No

PIC 9(5)

Customer ID

Links the order to a specific customer.

No

PIC 9(5)

Order Date

Date the order was placed.

No

PIC X(10)

Product Code

Code identifying the product ordered.

No

PIC A(10)

Quantity

Number of units ordered.

Yes

PIC 9(3)

Unit Price

Price per unit of the product.

No

PIC 9(5)V99

Total Price

Computed as Quantity * Unit Price.

No

PIC 9(7)V99

Shipping Date

Scheduled shipping date for the order.

Yes

PIC X(10)


High-Level Source Code

The COBOL program supporting this screen includes modules for data retrieval, display, input handling, and calculations.

1.  Data Division 

The WORKING-STORAGE section defines the fields displayed on the screen, mapping them to corresponding database columns.


01 ORDER-INFO.  
    05 ORDER-ID      PIC 9(5).
    05 CUSTOMER-ID   PIC 9(5).
    05 ORDER-DATE    PIC X(10). 
    05 PRODUCT-CODE  PIC A(10).
    05 QUANTITY      PIC 9(3).
    05 UNIT-PRICE    PIC 9(5)V99.
    05 TOTAL-PRICE   PIC 9(7)V99.
    05 SHIPPING-DATE PIC X(10).


2.  Display Logic 

The PROCEDURE DIVISION contains code to retrieve and display existing order details. It also handles auto-calculation for the Total Price.


DISPLAY "Order Entry Screen".
DISPLAY "---------------------------".
DISPLAY "Order ID      : " ORDER-ID.
DISPLAY "Customer ID   : " CUSTOMER-ID.
DISPLAY "Order Date    : " ORDER-DATE.
DISPLAY "Product Code  : " PRODUCT-CODE.
DISPLAY "Quantity      : " QUANTITY.
DISPLAY "Unit Price    : " UNIT-PRICE.
COMPUTE TOTAL-PRICE = 
    QUANTITY * UNIT-PRICE.
DISPLAY "Total Price   : " TOTAL-PRICE.
DISPLAY "Shipping Date : " SHIPPING-DATE.


3.  Validation 

Input validation ensures only valid data is entered. For example:

  • Quantity must be a positive integer.
  • Shipping Date must follow the format MM/DD/YYYY.


IF
    QUANTITY NOT NUMERIC OR
    QUANTITY <= 0
    DISPLAY "Invalid Quantity".
END-IF.


4.  Database Interaction 

SQL or indexed file operations are used to retrieve and update order details:


EXEC SQL

    SELECT
        CUSTOMER_ID,    :CUSTOMER-ID
        ORDER_DATE,     :ORDER-DATE,
        PRODUCT_CODE,   :PRODUCT-CODE,
        UNIT_PRICE,     :UNIT-PRICE,
        SHIPPING_DATE   :SHIPPING-DATE
    FROM
        ORDER_TABLE
    WHERE
        ORDER_ID =      :ORDER-ID 

END-EXEC.


Maintenance and Future Enhancements

This screen is well-structured and easy to maintain. Potential enhancements include:

  • Adding support for discounts or promotions.

  • Implementing a field for tracking shipment status.

  • Integrating product stock level checks to warn users of low inventory during order creation.

Business Value

The Order Entry Screen is central to the organization’s order fulfillment process. Its user-friendly design and real-time calculations reduce manual errors and ensure accurate order creation. This tool empowers both customer service representatives and back-office teams to deliver consistent, reliable results.



Image:  StockSnap from Pixabay

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