Traditional File-Based Systems

-An early attempt to computerize the manual filing system

-Definition
Collection of application programs that perform services for the end users (e.g. reports).
Each program defines and manages its own data.

-Works well while the number of items to be stored is small. However, it is breaks down when we have to cross-reference or process the information in the files.

File-Based Processing
-Figure shows each department accessing their own files through application programs written specially for them
-Each set of departmental application programs handles data entry, file maintenance, and the generation of a fixed set of specific reports.
-The physical structure & storage of the data files and records are defined in the application code