The process of identifying, modeling and documenting how data moves around an information system. Data flow modeling examines
processes (activities that transform data from one form to another),
data stores (the holding areas for data),
external entities (what sends data into a system or receives data from a system, and
data flows (routes by which data can flow).
Data flow modeling is one of the foundations of the Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method.
Data flow modeling also is called data flow diagramming
