• Capture data : Geographical data can be collected/captured from various sources like hard copy, map through top sheet, digital data, through GPS, Secondary data through published tables.
• Storing data : Geographical data once captured, it needs to transform from Analogy into digital format and to be stored in computer for further analysis. ,
• Query : Once you have a functional GIS containing your geographical information, you can begin to ask a simple questions.
• Analysis : There are 3 types

1. Proximity Analysis : Proximity queries find features with in a certain distance of other features. 

2. Overlay Analysis : It is simplest, this could be a visual operation, but analytical operations require One or more data layers to be joined physically. 

3. Network Analysis : A network is a set of edges and junctions that are Topologically connected to each other.

• Display : Once analysis is done maps, diagrams, graphs and tables are to be designed and same has to be displayed over computer moniter. 
• Output: This is final, stage of GIS function where in the maps, data tables etc…. can be printed to have hard copy as output.